rail

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The system of travelling by train.

   We decided to travel across the country by rail.

2. 2
   noun

   A fixed bar that you can hold on to or hang things on.

   Hold the rail tightly as you go down the stairs.

3. 3
   verb

   To travel or send goods by train.

   Fresh vegetables are railed to the city every morning.

From Middle English rail, rayl, *reȝel, *reȝol (found in reȝolsticke (“a ruler”)), partly from Old English regol (“a ruler, straight bar”) and partly from Old French reille; both from Latin regula (“rule, bar”), from regō (“to rule, to guide, to govern”); see regular. Doublet of regal, regula, rigol, and rule.

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