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REFERENCE

railroad

n. · v.
US //ˈɹeɪɫˌɹoʊd// UK //ɹˈeɪlɹəʊd// rail·road
  1. 1 transport system (n.)
    A2 Elementary American English

    the whole system of trains, tracks, and the companies that manage them.

    the entire infrastructure, rolling stock, and organizational system of rail transport.

    Example

    The railroad was the main way people traveled across the country in the 1800s.

    Example

    The expansion of the transcontinental railroad fundamentally altered the economic landscape of the nineteenth-century United States.
    • rail system
    • rail network
  2. 2 to rush or force (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    to force someone to do something or accept a decision without giving them enough time to think.

    to push a person or a process through with undue haste, often bypassing fair procedures or deliberation.

    Example

    I felt like the salesman was trying to railroad me into buying the car today.

    Example

    The committee was accused of trying to railroad the new legislation through before the public had a chance to voice their concerns.

    Usage

    This verb is transitive and requires a direct object.

    Teacher's tip

    Often used in political or legal contexts to describe unfair treatment.
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  1. 3 to falsely convict (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Informal Law

    to send someone to prison for a crime they did not commit by using unfair methods.

    to convict a person of a crime through the circumvention of due process or the use of false evidence.

    Example

    The prisoner claimed he had been railroaded by a corrupt police department.

    Example

    Defense attorneys argued that their client had been railroaded by a system more interested in a quick conviction than in finding the truth.

    Usage

    Usually used in the passive voice.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a very strong accusation of legal corruption.
Origin

From rail + road.

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