rails
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun 1. A bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll. * This is the primary meaning, referring to the long, metal tracks that guide trains, trams, or other wheeled vehicles.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The train sped along the rails.
- Workers are replacing the old rails on this section of the track.
- The model train set comes with plastic rails.
Advanced Usage
- "Off the rails": An idiom meaning to become out of control, disorganized, or crazy.
- After the scandal, the company's project went completely off the rails.
- His life seemed to spin off the rails after he lost his job.
Variants and Related Words
- Railroad (noun): The entire system of tracks, stations, and trains.
- Railway (noun): Synonym for railroad; also used in British English.
- Railing (noun): A fence or barrier made of rails and posts, typically for safety on a balcony, staircase, or alongside a path.
- He held onto the railing as he walked down the steep stairs.
Synonyms
- Tracks: The pair of rails forming a path for a train.
- Railroad tracks: Specifically denotes the rails used for trains.
Related Phrases
- "Back on the rails": The opposite of "off the rails"; meaning to return to a normal, controlled, or successful state.
- With the new manager, the team got back on the rails quickly.
Related Idioms
- "Run off the rails": Similar to "go off the rails," meaning to fail or become chaotic.
- The negotiations ran off the rails when neither side would compromise.
Noun
- a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll