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| rail [ rayl ] |
noun (plural rails) |
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1. long piece of wood or metal: a long horizontal or sloping piece of wood, metal, or other material that is used as a barrier, support, or place to hang things
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2. fence or railing: a structure made of a rail or rails and their supports, e.g. a fence or railing
(
often used in the plural
)
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3. rail steel bar of railroad track: a narrow steel bar, or a series of connected bars laid in two parallel lines, supporting and guiding the wheels of railroad locomotives and cars or anything similar.
See also third rail
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4. transportation railroad: the railroad as a means or form of transportation
  We'll ship the goods by rail.
rail travel
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transitive verb (past and past participle railed, present participle rail·ing, 3rd person present singular rails) |
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| Definition: |
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put rail on or around something: to put a rail or railing on or around something to provide a guard, barrier, or support
They ought to rail off the playground.
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| [13th century. Via Old French reille "bar" < Latin regula "straight stick, rod"] |
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go off the rails
1. to begin to go wrong and lose direction
2. to begin to behave in an unacceptable, irresponsible, or illegal way
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