: any of numerous wading birds (family Rallidae, the rail family) that are of small or medium size and have short rounded wings, a short tail, and usually very long toes which enable them to run on the soft mud of marshes
Noun (1)
the stairs are icy, so hold onto the rail
an abandoned stretch of rail that was overgrown with brush Verb (2)
we could hear the cook in the kitchen railing against his assistant and wondered if we'd ever get our food
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Noun
Brightline, which started service in 2018 in South Florida and now carries passengers over a 235-mile rail line between Miami and Orlando, has been piling up significant financial losses despite steady gains in ridership.—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2025 Instead, the remaining pairs are either going off the rails or just starting to gain steam.—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
Verb
After Musk has railed against Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill in recent days, as GOP leaders struggle to get it across the finish line, the president took the opportunity to lash out at him.—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 July 2025 For weeks, Musk has railed against Trump’s policy bill, leading to a very public and ugly fight with Trump earlier this month.—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for rail
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English raile, from Anglo-French raille, reille bar, rule, from Latin regula straightedge, rule — more at rule
Noun (2)
Middle English raile, from Middle French raalle
Verb (2)
Middle English, from Middle French railler to mock, probably from Old French reillier to growl, mutter, from Vulgar Latin *ragulare to bray, from Late Latin ragere to neigh
: any of various small wading birds related to the cranes
rail
4 of 4verb
: to scold or complain in harsh or bitter language
railernoun
Etymology
Noun
Middle English raile "bar, rail," from early French raille, reille "bar, ruler," from Latin regula "straightedge, ruler," from regere "to lead straight, govern, rule" — related to regent, regulate, rule
Noun
Middle English raile "rail (the bird)," from early French raalie (same meaning)
Verb
Middle English railen "to scold, be abusive to," from early French railler "to mock," probably derived from Latin ragere "to neigh"
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