Webster's English Dictionary

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rail

Cross references:
  1. scold                 
 
1. rail \'ra-(*)l\ n [ME raile, fr. MF reille ruler, bar, fr. L regula 
   ruler, fr.]regere to keep straight, direct, rule - more at RIGHT 1a: a bar 
   extending from one post or support to another and serving as a gu ard or 
   barrier 1b: a structural member or support  2a: RAILING  2b: a light 
   structure serving as a guard at the outer edge of a ship's deck  2c: a 
   fence bounding a racetrack  3a: a bar of rolled steel forming a track for 
   wheeled vehicles  3b: TRACK  3c: RAILROAD 
2. rail vt : to provide with a railing : FENCE 
3. rail n or rail or rails [ME raile, fr. MF raale] pl  : any of numerous 
   precocial wading birds (family Rallidae) that are struct urally related to 
   the cranes but of small or medium sixe and have short rounded wings, a 
   short tail, and usu. very long toes which enable them to run on the soft 
   mud of swamps
4. rail vi [ME railen, fr, MF railler to mock, fr. OProv ralhar to babbl]e, 
   joke, fr. (assumed) VL ragulare to bray, fr. LL ragere to neigh : to revile 
   or scold in harsh, insolent, or abusive language  - rail.er n