Rail | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Rāil, n.

noun

[L. Ger. & Sw. regel, N. H. Ger. riegel, a rail, bar, or bolt; O. H. Ger. rigil, rigel, bar, bolt; D. rigchel, Lat. regula.]

Sense 1. A piece of timber, or of iron, or other metal, extending from one post or support to another, as in fences, balustrades, staircases, &c.

Sense 2. The horizontal part in any piece of framing or paneling.

Sense 3. (Railways.) A bar of iron, forming the upper part of the superstructure on which the wheels of vehicles roll. It is usually shaped with reference to vertical strength, and is held in place by chairs, splices, &c.

Sense 4. (Naut.) (a.) A narrow plank nailed for ornament or security on a ship's upper works. (b.) A curved piece of timber extending from the bows of a ship to the continuation of its stem, to support the knee of the head, &c.

By rail, by railroad or railway; as, to travel by rail.

The illustration shows several cross-sectional profiles of rails. — Cross Sections of Rails. (3.)

Rāil, n.

noun

n. [Ger. ralle, rall, Sw. rallfogel, N. Lat. rallus, Fr. râle, fr. râler, to have a rattling in the throat: L. Ger. ratteln, H. Ger. rasseln, Eng. rattle, D. rallen, rellen, to chatter, prate; Sw. ralla.] (Ornith.) A bird of the genus Rallus (R. [or Porzana] Carolinus), of a greenish-brown color above, and ashy blue with white markings below, found in the United States. The European water-rail is R. aquaticus, the land-rail Crex pratensis.

An engraving of a water-rail standing among reeds and marsh grasses. — Water-rail (*Rallus aquaticus*.)

Rāil, n.

noun

n. [A-S. hrægel, hregil, a garment; O. Sax. & O. H. Ger. hrægel, O. Fries. hreil, regil, from A-S. wrigan, to cover, clothe; Eng. to rig.] A garment like a vail or cloak, made of fine linen, formerly worn by women about the neck. [Obs.]

Rāil, v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. RAILED; p. pr. & vb. n. RAILING.] 1. To inclose with rails. 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.

Rāil, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. [Fr. railler, Pg. ralhar, to swagger, bluster, scold; Pg. ralar, Sp. rallar, to grate, scrape, molest, Lat. as if radiculare, from radere, to scrape, grate. Cf. RAILY.] To use insolent and reproachful language; to reproach or censure in opprobrious terms; to utter reproaches; to scoff; — followed by at or against, formerly by on.

And rail at arts he did not understand. Dryden.

Lesbia forever on me rails. Swift.

Rāil, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. To flow forth; to roll out; to course. [Obs.] “Streams of tears from her fair eyes forth railing.” Spenser.