train

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈtrān 

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

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

The [farm] tractor was 11.52 tonnes and the trailer 18.30 tonnes, giving a train weight of 29.82 tonnes.

—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

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

c

: the luminous trail or tail of a meteor or comet

Sightings of spiral meteor trains are not new.

—Stephen James O'Meara

3

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

A vigorous campaign has been in train for most of this year to prevent the Royal family from being deported in September.

—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

6

: 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

7

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

trainful

ˈtrān-ˌfu̇l 

noun

train

2 of 3

verb

trained; training; trains

transitive verb

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

5

: trail, drag

intransitive verb

1

: to undergo instruction, discipline, or drill

2

: to go by train

trainability

ˌtrā-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

trainable

ˈtrā-nə-bəl 

adjective

train

3 of 3

noun (2)

obsolete

: scheme, trick

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• cortege
• cortège
• entourage
• following
• posse
• retinue
• suite
• tail

Verb

• condition
• season

Choose the Right Synonym for train

teach, instruct, educate, train, discipline, school mean to cause to acquire knowledge or skill.

teach applies to any manner of imparting information or skill so that others may learn.

taught us a lot about our planet

instruct suggests methodical or formal teaching.

instructs raw recruits in military drill

educate implies development of the mind.

more things than formal schooling serve to educate a person

train stresses instruction and drill with a specific end in view.

trained foreign pilots to operate the new aircraft

discipline implies training in habits of order and precision.

a disciplined mind

school implies training or disciplining especially in what is hard to master.

schooled the horse in five gaits

Examples of train in a Sentence

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 Web

Noun

Norfolk Southern has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit stemming from the fiery train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the railroad announced Tuesday. —Joel Rose, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024

Norfolk Southern has agreed to a $600 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit related to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023. —Mark Osborne, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024

Last week federal officials said that the aftermath of the train derailment doesn’t qualify as a public health emergency because widespread health problems and ongoing chemical exposures haven’t been documented. —Josh Funk, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2024

In them, quotidian life comes alive as performance pieces where the music is created by kitchenware inside a diner, the sound of a basketball bouncing off the ground in a park or passengers’ belongings on a train ride. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 6 Apr. 2024

Take a look → Mysterious wooden train car — almost 100 years old — unearthed in Belgium, photos show Discovering the ramparts The ancient ruins went undocumented for years, largely because they’re usually submerged under the sea. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024

For access to the barn and playground, as well, tickets are $13 online or $15 per person at the gate on the weekend (including a cow train and wagon ride) and weekdays are $10 online or $12 per person at the gate. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2024

Amtrak reported train service was being slowed due to the earthquake. —Ray Sanchez, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024

Young European noblemen had always taken a grand tour, but in the 19th century, frequent, pleasure-seeking travel became a fixture for the upper classes, newly able to gallivant by steam train or cruise liner. —The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024

Verb

The team will fly directly from Monterrey to Kansas City and train there before the game. —Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024

Directors should be continually trained on these important protections. —Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2024

Soon after the Korean War began in June 1950, when North Korean troops invaded South Korea, then-Lieutenant Puckett was assigned to create and train the Eighth Army Ranger Company, comprising 51 Rangers and several South Korean soldiers. —Richard Goldstein, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024

OpenAI reportedly transcribed more than one million hours of YouTube videos to train GPT-4, according to The New York Times on Saturday. —Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024

Star jasmine is a vigorous grower that can spill over walls or be trained to grow on a trellis or pergola in part shade. —Steve Bender, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2024

Over time, regularly counteracting stresses and quieting your racing mind can train your body to power down pain pathways. —Hilary Tetenbaum, Detroit Free Press, 8 Apr. 2024

On Thursday, the group held a webinar to train local activists on how to use it. —David Gilbert, WIRED, 8 Apr. 2024

Another barrier is that dentists and physicians are not routinely trained to work with each other, Hilton says. —Lola Butcher, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from trainer to draw, drag

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French trainer, from Vulgar Latin *traginare; akin to Latin trahere to draw

Noun (2)

Middle English traine treachery, from Anglo-French, from trahir to betray, from Latin tradere — more at traitor

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 5

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing train

• boat train
• bullet train
• choo choo train
• commuter train
• crate train
• cross-train
• epicyclic train
• express train
• freight train
• goods train
• gravy train
• house-train
• in train
• lost my train of thought
• paper-train
• passenger train
• power train
• pre-train
• set in train
• subway train
• train case
• train dispatcher
• train of thought
• train oil
• train set
• train wreck
• unit train
• wagon train
• wave train

Kids Definition

train

1 of 2 noun

ˈtrān 

1

: 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

b

: result entry 2 sense 1, aftermath

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 verb

1

: 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

ˌtrā-nə-ˈbil-ət-ē

noun

trainable

ˈtrā-nə-bəl

adjective