plural trains
1
a
: a connected line of railroad cars with or without a locomotive
traveled the country by train
A train puffs across the Railroad Connection Bridge …—
Helen Cooper
Helen Cooper
b
: an automotive tractor with one or more trailer units
Tractor trains can operate not only within a plant but also outdoors between plants. These trains are especially useful where loads are too bulky or heavy for forklift trucks …—Joseph C. Quinlan
Joseph C. QuinlanThe [farm] tractor was 11.52 tonnes and the trailer 18.30 tonnes, giving a train weight of 29.82 tonnes.—Farmers Guardian (Preston, England)
Farmers Guardian (Preston, England)2
a
: the retinue or suite of a person of rank or consequence : following
In his train flock not the industrial workers of the world but the literary intellectuals of the capital cities of the world …—Sidney Hook
Sidney Hook
b
: a moving file of persons, vehicles, or animals
They had been walking for eight days. So had their small train of camels, mules and donkeys …—Matthew Parris
Matthew Parris
c
: the luminous trail or tail of a meteor or comet
Sightings of spiral meteor trains are not new.—Stephen James O'Meara
Stephen James O'Meara3
a
: an orderly succession
lost her train of thought
b
chiefly British
: a sequence (as of events or actions) leading to some result or goal
—often used in the phrase in train
A revolution had been set in train.—Max Davidson
Max DavidsonA vigorous campaign has been in train for most of this year to prevent the Royal family from being deported in September.—Raymond Keene
Raymond Keene
c
: accompanying or resultant circumstances : aftermath
consequences the discovery will bring in its train
4
: a series of moving mechanical parts (such as gears) that transmit and modify motion
a gear train
5
: a part of a gown that trails behind the wearer
Her bridal train was carried by a pretty flower girl …—Geoff Robinson
Geoff Robinson6
: the vehicles, personnel, and sometimes animals that provide maintenance, supply, and evacuation services to a combat unit
… Edward IV had an artillery train which impressed contemporaries, and which was clearly intended to provide for field actions as well as sieges.—Anthony Goodman
Anthony Goodman7
chemical engineering
: a series of parts or elements that together constitute a system for producing a result and especially for carrying on a process (such as the liquefaction of gas or separation of petroleum) automatically
an oil production train
8
: a line of combustible material laid to lead fire to a charge
A train of powder burning at a known rate can be made into an accurate timer as the length of the train is directly proportional to the time it takes to burn.—Robert A. Howard
Robert A. Howard
trained; training; trains
1
a
: to teach so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient
b
: to form by instruction, discipline, or drill
2
: to make prepared (as by exercise) for a test of skill
3
: to direct the growth of (a plant) usually by bending, pruning, and tying
4
: to aim at an object or objective : direct
trained his camera on the deer
training every effort toward success
Synonyms
Examples of train in a Sentence
Noun (1)
a movie star who never goes anywhere without a train of personal assistants to cater to his every whim and need
a train of supply trucks making its way to the army encampment
already a long train of ticket buyers waiting outside the stadium
you've broken my train of thought—now what were we talking about?
Verb
He was never formally trained as a chef.
I've been trained in first aid.
I'm training her to take over my job when I retire.
My boss is training me on the new equipment.
We need to train more nurses.
They are highly trained professionals.
I'm training to be a nurse.
I trained at that hospital.
He's training as a chef.
She had to train her mind to think scientifically.
Recent Examples on the WebRachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024
The misfortune for train travelers nonetheless proved a boon for motorists: Florida purchased what was left of the infrastructure and repurposed it to create the Overseas Highway.
—Teddy Brokaw, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024
That does not happen without the arrival of the money train on which Clark has shoveled coal.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2024
In the case of trains, says Welling, railway traffic controllers know not to trust automatic signals during a geomagnetic storm, and will instead take over manually.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 15 May 2024
Galassi tells me later that the team sold the fifth hull on the train trip.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 May 2024
The proposals take an early peek at three major alternatives for a modern transit hub that would sprout next to the existing Diridon train station near the corner of West Santa Clara Street and Cahill Street in San Jose.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 15 May 2024
An Oslo Pass is handy for riding the tram, train, bus, and ferry.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2024
Unionized train and bus operators have criticized Metro for failing to respond forcefully enough to violence on the system.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
Beth Harris, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2024
Inside classified simulators and buildings with layers of shielding against surveillance, a new test-pilot generation is training AI agents to fly in war.
—Tara Copp, Fortune, 4 May 2024
The tech has proven controversial when the artists themselves aren’t involved and their recordings are training AI models without their permission.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2024
Cat ambassadors run in the zoo's cheetah encounter, appear in classrooms and are trained to travel and walk on a leash.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 May 2024
Once trained, the birds were free to ring the bell on their own accord.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 2 May 2024
Roughly 15,000 pilots were trained near Chicago during that time, which led to 130 planes winding up at the bottom of the lake.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2024
The upshot was a vast new business opportunity for OpenAI, which also needs big revenues to offset the huge costs of training its AI models.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 2 May 2024
While dermatologists are trained to spot the bumps, known as nodules, non-derm doctors may not be, Dr. Porter says.
—Tatiana Walk-Morris, SELF, 22 Apr. 2024
Noun
Former head of security Gina Osborn and the union representing drivers and train operators have both advocated for Metro to create its own dedicated police force.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024
The misfortune for train travelers nonetheless proved a boon for motorists: Florida purchased what was left of the infrastructure and repurposed it to create the Overseas Highway.
—Teddy Brokaw, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024
That does not happen without the arrival of the money train on which Clark has shoveled coal.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2024
In the case of trains, says Welling, railway traffic controllers know not to trust automatic signals during a geomagnetic storm, and will instead take over manually.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 15 May 2024
Galassi tells me later that the team sold the fifth hull on the train trip.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 May 2024
The proposals take an early peek at three major alternatives for a modern transit hub that would sprout next to the existing Diridon train station near the corner of West Santa Clara Street and Cahill Street in San Jose.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 15 May 2024
An Oslo Pass is handy for riding the tram, train, bus, and ferry.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2024
Unionized train and bus operators have criticized Metro for failing to respond forcefully enough to violence on the system.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
Verb
Seven women have trained Derby runners, with Vicki Oliver last doing so in 2021.
—Beth Harris, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2024
Inside classified simulators and buildings with layers of shielding against surveillance, a new test-pilot generation is training AI agents to fly in war.
—Tara Copp, Fortune, 4 May 2024
The tech has proven controversial when the artists themselves aren’t involved and their recordings are training AI models without their permission.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2024
Cat ambassadors run in the zoo's cheetah encounter, appear in classrooms and are trained to travel and walk on a leash.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 May 2024
Once trained, the birds were free to ring the bell on their own accord.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 2 May 2024
Roughly 15,000 pilots were trained near Chicago during that time, which led to 130 planes winding up at the bottom of the lake.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2024
The upshot was a vast new business opportunity for OpenAI, which also needs big revenues to offset the huge costs of training its AI models.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 2 May 2024
While dermatologists are trained to spot the bumps, known as nodules, non-derm doctors may not be, Dr. Porter says.
—Tatiana Walk-Morris, SELF, 22 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'train.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near train
Cite this Entry
“Train.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/train. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
train
1 of 2 noun1
: a part of a gown that trails behind the wearer
2
: a number of followers or attendants : retinue
3
: a moving file of persons, vehicles, or animals
wagon train
4
a
: an orderly connected series of events, actions, or ideas
train of thought
5
: a series of moving machine parts (as gears) for transmitting and modifying motion
6
: a connected line of railroad cars
train
2 of 2 verb1
: to direct the growth of (a plant) usually by bending, pruning, and tying
2
a
: to teach in an art, profession, or trade
b
: to teach (an animal) to obey
3
: to make ready for a test of skill or strength
4
: to aim at an object or target
trained their eyes on the horizon
trainability
noun
ˌtrā-nə-ˈbil-ət-ē
trainable
adjective
ˈtrā-nə-bəl
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