ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rails

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˈɹeɪɫz// UK //ɹˈeɪlz// rails

n. the long metal bars that trains travel on. They are usually made of steel and come in pairs to form a track.

n. the parallel steel bars that form a track for locomotives and other wheeled vehicles. Often used in the plural to refer to the entire railway system.


SIMPLE

The train stayed on the rails during the sharp turn.

CONTEXTUAL

Workers spent the weekend replacing the rusted rails on the main line to ensure passenger safety.

COMPLEX

The expansion of the national network required thousands of tons of high-grade steel to manufacture the rails necessary for high-speed transit.

Synonyms
Usage

Commonly used in the plural ('rails') when referring to the track; also appears in the idiom 'go off the rails' to describe something failing or becoming chaotic.

Idioms1 entry

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