rail
- noun
- /reɪl/
- Milton's horse, head drooping, dozed against the rail, but the other three were gone.
- side rails
- guide rail
- mounting rails
I just need to get to that stairway and get to the rail, get downstairs.
- I just need to get to that stairway and get to the rail, get downstairs.
- Got one sliding down the railing when you're a kid.
- The weirdest thing to be in your rail and wardrobe.
Examples
-
'I saw us leaning on the rail of a ship, 'looking at the sea and the stars.
-
As we stood at the rails, a ferry approached our ship.
Academic text (2012) -
Just hold onto the rail.
-
So single rail, multi rail, which is the right choice?
-
What I'm going to do is I'm going to build a rail here like this.
-
And can we put up the side rails on his bed?
-
Her mother would be standing by the rail, hungry to see Christina.
Fiction book (1990) -
Be careful stepping in and out and remember, don't touch the rails unless you have to.
Academic text (1996) -
A moment later he's leaning on the rail, allowing the wind to caress him.
Fiction book (1990) -
The children held onto the safety rail while climbing the stairs.
Synonyms
A strong railing at the edge of places like roads and bridges that stops people or vehicles from falling
A row of bars and posts along an edge, like on stairs or balconies, to stop people from falling
A bar fixed beside stairs or a balcony that you hold for support
A rail you hold for support on stairs or ramps
A strong bar along stairs or platforms that stops people from falling
A long narrow piece of wood that sits across posts to make a barrier
A long bar along a bed frame that supports the mattress
Idioms
Compounds
- Specialized
A low fence around a sailing ship's mast that holds ropes or supports people
- Specialized
The planning, building, and running of trains, tracks, and stations
How Sturdy
Surface Forms
Etymology
Rail comes from an old word meaning 'bar' or 'rod' and appears in English words like railing and handrail. So a rail is a long bar used as a fence or a handhold.