rail¹ / rāl/ • n. 1. a bar or series of bars, typically fixed on upright supports, serving as part of a fence or barrier or used to hang things on. ∎  (the rails) the inside boundary fence of a racecourse. ∎  the edge of a surfboard or sailboard. ∎  the rim of a billiard or pool table.2. a steel bar or continuous line of bars laid on the ground as one of a pair forming a railroad track: trolley rails. ∎  [often as adj.] railroads as a means of transportation: rail fares traveling by rail.3. a horizontal piece in the frame of a paneled door or sash window. Compare with stile² .4. Electr. a conductor that is maintained at a fixed potential and to which other parts of a circuit are connected.• v. 1. [tr.] provide or enclose (a space or place) with a rail or rails: the altar is railed off from the nave.2. [intr.] (in windsurfing) sail the board on its edge, so that it is at a sharp angle to the surface of the water.PHRASES: go off the rails inf. begin behaving in a strange, abnormal, or wildly uncontrolled way.DERIVATIVES: rail·less adj. rail² • v. [intr.] (rail against/at/about) complain or protest strongly and persistently about: he railed at human fickleness. DERIVATIVES: rail·er n.rail³ • n. a secretive bird (Rallus and other genera) with drab gray and brown plumage, typically having a long bill and found in dense waterside vegetation. The rail family (Rallidae) also includes the crakes, gallinules, moorhens, and coots.

rail.
1. Horizontal member of a wall-frame between the posts or studs in timber-framed construction.

2. Horizontal timber in a door, panelling, wainscot, etc. Types of rail include:chair-rail: cornice at the top of a dado around a room;clamp rail: rebated timber to receive the ends of boards, as in a ceiling, etc., called batten or cleat in the USA;dado-rail: as chair-rail above;frieze rail: rail in a panelled door corresponding to the frieze in position;hanging-rail: rail to which hinges are fixed in a door, window, etc. A rail with hinges at the side of a panelled door is a stile;lock-rail: rail in a framed door into which the lock is fitted, usually corresponding to the top of a dado;mid-rail: horizontal timber in a wall-frame placed half-way in a storey, or between a cill and a wall-plate.

Bibliography

Alcock,, Barley,, Dixon,, & and Meeson (1996);
Gwilt (1903);
W. McKay (1957)
Papworth (1887)

rail2 bar of wood, etc. fixed in a horizontal position XIII; hand-rail of a staircase XV; bar or continuous line of bars laid for wheels to run on (so railroad, railway) XVIII. ME. reyle, raile — OF. reille iron rod:- L. rēgula staff, rod, RULE.

rail Slender, long-legged marsh bird. Rails are shy, generally nocturnal, and often emit melodious calls. They lay 8–15 eggs in a reed-and-grass ground nest. Length: 10–45cm (4–18in). Family Rallidae. Typical genus Rallus.

rail1 †garment, mantle OE.; †neckerchief XV; night-rail dressing-gown XVI. OE. hræġ(e)l + OFris. (h)reil, OHG. (h)regil, of unkn. orig.