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rail |
10 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Rail \Rail\, n. A railroad as a means of transportation; as to go by rail; a place not accesible by rail. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Rail \Rail\, n. [OE. reil, re[yogh]el, AS hr[ae]gel, hr[ae]gl a garment; akin to OHG. hregil OFries hreil.] An outer cloak or covering; a neckerchief for women. --Fairholt. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Rail \Rail\, v. i. [Etymol. uncertain.] To flow forth; to roll out to course. [Obs.] Streams of tears from her fair eyes forth railing. --Spenser. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Rail \Rail\, n. [Akin to LG & Sw regel bar, bolt, G. riegel a rail, bar, or bolt, OHG, rigil, rigel, bar, bolt, and possibly to E. row a line.] 1. A bar of timber or metal, usually horizontal or nearly so extending from one post or support to another, as in fences, balustrades, staircases, etc 2. (Arch.) A horizontal piece in a frame or paneling. See Illust. of {Style}. 3. (Railroad) A bar of steel or iron, forming part of the track on which the wheels roll. It is usually shaped with reference to vertical strength, and is held in place by chairs, splices, etc 4. (Naut.) a The stout, narrow plank that forms the top of the bulwarks. b The light, fencelike structures of wood or metal at the break of the deck, and elsewhere where such protection is needed. {Rail fence}. See under {Fence}. {Rail guard}. a A device attached to the front of a locomotive on each side for clearing the rail obstructions. b A guard rail. See under {Guard}. {Rail joint} (Railroad), a splice connecting the adjacent ends of rails, in distinction from a chair, which is merely a seat. The two devices are sometimes united. Among several hundred varieties, the fish joint is standard. See {Fish joint}, under {Fish}. {Rail train} (Iron & Steel Manuf.), a train of rolls in a rolling mill, for making rails for railroads from blooms or billets. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Rail \Rail\, v. i. [F. railler; cf Sp rallar to grate, scrape, molest; perhaps fr (assumed) LL radiculare, fr L. radere to scrape, grate. Cf {Rally} to banter, {Rase}.] To use insolent and reproachful language; to utter reproaches; to scoff; followed by at or against, formerly by on --Shak. And rail at arts he did not understand. --Dryden. Lesbia forever on me rails. --Swift. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Rail \Rail\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Railed}; p. pr & vb n. {Railing}.] 1. To inclose with rails or a railing. It ought to be fenced in and railed. --Ayliffe. 2. To range in a line [Obs.] They were brought to London all railed in ropes, like a team of horses in a cart. --Bacon. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Rail \Rail\, v. t. 1. To rail at [Obs.] --Feltham. 2. To move or influence by railing. [R.] Rail the seal from off my bond. --Shak. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Rail \Rail\, n. [F. r[^a]le, fr r[^a]ler to have a rattling in the throat; of German origin, and akin to E. rattle. See {Rattle}, v.] (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds of the family {Rallid[ae]}, especially those of the genus {Rallus}, and of closely allied genera. They are prized as game birds. Note: The common European water rail ({Rallus aquaticus}) is called also {bilcock}, {skitty coot}, and {brook runner}. The best known American species are the clapper rail, or salt-marsh hen ({Rallus lonqirostris}, var. {crepitans}); the king, or red-breasted, rail ({R. elegans}) (called also {fresh-water marshhen}); the lesser clapper, or Virginia, rail ({R. Virginianus}); and the Carolina, or sora, rail ({Porzana Carolina}). See {Sora}. {Land rail} (Zo["o]l.), the corncrake. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: rail n 1: a barrier consisting of a horizontal rail and supports [syn: {railing}] 2: short for railway; "he traveled by rail" or "he was concerned with rail safety" 3: a bar or bars of rolled steel making a track along which vehicles can roll [syn: {track}, {rails}] 4: a horizontal bar (usually of wood) 5: any of numerous widely distributed small wading birds of the family Rallidae having short wings and very long toes for running on soft mud v 1: complain bitterly [syn: {inveigh}] 2: spread negative information about "The Nazi propaganda vilified the Jews" [syn: {vilify}, {revile}, {vituperate}] 3: criticize severely; "He fulminated against the Republicans' plan to cut Medicare"; "She railed against the bad social policies" [syn: {fulminate}] From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (13 Mar 01) [foldoc]: RAILAutomatix. High-level language for industrial robots.
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