railing

UK: /ˈreɪlɪŋ/ US: /ˈreɪlɪŋ/ ,(rā′ling)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

rail•ing /ˈreɪlɪŋ/   n. [countable]

1. Building a fencelike barrier alongside a stairway, walkway, etc., made of horizontal rails supported by widely spaced upright pieces.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

rail•ing  (rā′ling), n. 

1. Building a fencelike barrier composed of one or more horizontal rails supported by widely spaced uprights;
   balustrade.
2. Building banister.
3. Building rails collectively.

• rail¹ + -ing¹ 1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

railing / ˈreɪlɪŋ/ noun

1. (often plural) a fence, balustrade, or barrier that consists of rails supported by posts
2. rails collectively or material for making rails

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

rail¹ /reɪl/   n. 

1. Building [countable] a bar, as of wood or metal, attached and used for a support, barrier, fence, or railing.
2. Rail Transport [countable] one of a pair of long, parallel and continuous steel bars on which the wheels of trains run.
3. Rail Transport the railroad as a means of transportation:
   [uncountable] to travel by rail.

rail² /reɪl/   v. 

1. to say or make bitter complaints or protests about: [no object; (~ + at + object)]
   He railed at his unfortunate fate.
   [~ + that clause]
   He railed that nobody liked him.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

rail¹  (rāl), n. 

1. Building a bar of wood or metal fixed horizontally for any of various purposes, as for a support, barrier, fence, or railing.
2. Building a fence;
   railing.
3. Sport one of two fences marking the inside and outside boundaries of a racetrack.
4. Rail Transport one of a pair of steel bars that provide the running surfaces for the wheels of locomotives and railroad cars. See illus. under flange. 
5. Rail Transport the railroad as a means of transportation:
   to travel by rail.
6. rails, stocks or bonds of railroad companies.
7. Naval Terms [Naut.] a horizontal member capping a bulwark.
8. Building, Building [Carpentry, Furniture.] any of various horizontal members framing panels or the like, as in a system of paneling, paneled door, window sash, or chest of drawers. Cf. stile ².
9. Slang Terms a line of cocaine crystals or powder for inhaling through the nose.

v.t. 

10. to furnish or enclose with a rail or rails.

• Latin rēgula bar, straight piece of wood, regula
• Old French raille bar, beam
• Middle English raile 1250–1300

rail′less, adj. 
rail′like′, adj. 

rail²  (rāl), v.i. 

1. to utter bitter complaint or vehement denunciation (often fol. by at or against):
   to rail at fate.

v.t. 

2. to bring, force, etc., by railing.

• Vulgar Latin *ragulāre, derivative of Late Latin ragere to bray
• Provencal ralhar to chatter
• Middle French railler to deride
• late Middle English railen 1425–75

rail′er, n. 
rail′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. fulminate, inveigh, castigate, rant, revile.

rail³  (rāl), n. 

1. Birds any of numerous birds of the family Rallidae, that have short wings, a narrow body, long toes, and a harsh cry and inhabit grasslands, forests, and marshes in most parts of the world.

• Vulgar Latin *rāsiculāre frequentative of Latin rādere (past participle rāsus) to scratch
• Old French raale (cognate with Provencal rascla), noun, nominal derivative of raler
• late Middle English rale 1400–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

rail / reɪl/ noun

1. a horizontal bar of wood, metal, etc, supported by vertical posts, functioning as a fence, barrier, handrail, etc
2. a horizontal bar fixed to a wall on which to hang things: a picture rail
3. a horizontal framing member in a door or piece of panelling
   Compare stile2
4. short for railing
5. one of a pair of parallel bars laid on a prepared track, roadway, etc, that serve as a guide and running surface for the wheels of a railway train, tramcar, etc
6. short for railway
7. (as modifier): rail transport
8. a trim for finishing the top of a bulwark
9. off the rails ⇒ into or in a state of dysfunction or disorder
10. eccentric or mad

verb (transitive)

1. to provide with a rail or railings
2. usually followed by in or off: to fence (an area) with rails

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French raille rod, from Latin rēgula ruler, straight piece of wood

rail / reɪl/ verb

1. (intr; followed by at or against) to complain bitterly or vehemently

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French railler to mock, from Old Provençal ralhar to chatter, joke, from Late Latin ragere to yell, neigh

ˈrailer noun

rail / reɪl/ noun

1. any of various small wading birds of the genus Rallus and related genera: family Rallidae, order Gruiformes (cranes, etc). They have short wings, long legs, and dark plumage

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French raale, perhaps from Latin rādere to scrape