rail : Idioms & Phrases

• a rail with a flange on one side, to keep wheels, etc. from running off.

Webster 1913

• the railing in front of the altar or communion table.

Webster 1913

• (Zoöl.), an Americam species of rail (Rallus scepitans).

Webster 1913

• (Railroad), a rail whose flanges are duplicates, so that when one is worn the other may be turned uppermost.

Webster 1913

• . (Railroad) (a) A rail set on edge; applied to a rail of more depth than width. (b) A guard rail by the side of the main rail at a switch. Knight.

Webster 1913

• (Naut.), a thin piece of timber placed on top of the head rail to strengthen it.

Webster 1913

• noun a rail that is split from a log
  fence rail.
  

WordNet

• noun the railing surrounding the mast of a sailing vessel
  

WordNet

• . (Naut.) (a) A rail about the mast, at the deck, to hold belaying pins, etc. (b) A railing around the break of a poop deck.

Webster 1913

• a railroad rail consisting of a simple flat bar spiked to a longitudinal sleeper.

Webster 1913

• a bracket which turns out to support the hinged leaf of a table.

Webster 1913

• a railroad rail, with a wide flat flange on the lower side.

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• (Railroads), a rail placed on the inside of a main rail, on bridges, at switches, etc., as a safeguard against derailment.

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• (Railroads), an additional rail, between the others, gripped by horizontal driving wheels on the locomotive, as a means of propulsion on steep gradients.

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• a rail, as in staircases, to hold by. Gwilt.

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• (Arch.), that rail of a door or casement to which hinges are attached.

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• (Railroads), the switch, or movable, rails, connecting one line of track with another.

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• (Zoöl.), a small American rail (Rallus elegans), living in fresh-water marshes. The upper parts are fulvous brown, striped with black; the breast is deep cinnamon color.

Webster 1913

• noun common Eurasian rail that frequents grain fields
  Crex crex; corncrake.
  

WordNet

• . (Zoöl) (a) The crake or corncrake of Europe . See Crake. (b) An Australian rail (Hypotænidia Phillipensis); called also pectoral rail.
• (Zoöl.), the corncrake.

Webster 1913

• (Arch.), in ordinary paneled doors, the rail nearest the lock.

Webster 1913

• (Naut.), a second and lighter rail raised about six inches above the quarter rail of a ship.

Webster 1913

• a loose robe, or garment, worn either as a nightgown, or over the dress at night, or in sickness. Obs.

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• . (Zoöl.) See Land rail (b) under Land.

Webster 1913

• noun rail fixed to a wall for hanging pictures
  

WordNet

• (Naut.), a rail, usually within the bulwarks, to hold belaying pins. Sometimes applied to the fife rail. Called also pin rack.

Webster 1913

• noun rail or narrow shelf fixed to a wall to display plates
  

WordNet

• (Naut.), narrow molded planks reaching from the top of the stern to the gangway, serving as a fence to the quarter-deck.

Webster 1913

• (Railroads), a toothed rack, laid as a rail, to afford a hold for teeth on the driving wheel of locomotive for climbing steep gradients, as in ascending a mountain.

Webster 1913

• noun a fence (usually made of split logs laid across each other at an angle)
  

WordNet

• . See under Fence.

Webster 1913

• . (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.

Webster 1913

• verb enclose with rails
  rail.
  
  • rail in the old graves

WordNet

• (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.

Webster 1913

• noun the road consisting of railroad track and roadbed
  line; railway line.
  

WordNet

• verb separate with a railing
  rail.
  
  • rail off the crowds from the Presidential palace

WordNet

• noun the activity of designing and constructing and operating railroads
  railroading.
  

WordNet

• (Iron & Steel Manuf.), a train of rolls in a rolling mill, for making rails for railroads from blooms or billets.

Webster 1913

• noun a laborer who splits logs to build split-rail fences
  splitter.
  

WordNet

• noun a railing placed alongside a stairway or road for safety
  guardrail.
  

WordNet

• a transfer table. See under Transfer.

Webster 1913

• noun rail fence consisting of a zigzag of interlocking rails
  snake fence; worm fence; Virginia fence.
  

WordNet

• noun a rail that is split from a log
  fence rail.
  

WordNet

• (Railroads), a flat rail formerly used.

Webster 1913

T" rail`

Definitions

1. See under T.

Webster 1913

• noun a rail through which electric current is supplied to an electric locomotive
  

WordNet

• noun a horizontal bar a few inches from a wall for holding towels
  towel bar.
  

WordNet

Wa"ter rail`

Definitions

1. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of rails of the genus Rallus, as the common European species (Rallus aquaticus). See Illust. of Rail.

Webster 1913

• (Zoöl.), a small American rail (Porzana Noveboracensis) in which the lower parts are dull yellow, darkest on the breast. The back is streaked with brownish yellow and with black, and spotted with white. Called also yellow crake.

Webster 1913