Word
train
US/ˈtɹeɪn/
UK/tɹˈeɪn/
Definitions
01rail transport
A1 · Beginner Countable noun
n. a long vehicle that travels on metal tracks and carries people or goods.
n. a connected series of railway carriages or wagons moved by a locomotive or integral motor.
日本語:電車、訓練する※
“The train to the city was late because of the heavy snow.”
“Commuters waited on the platform as the high-speed train pulled into the station exactly on schedule.”
Pitfall
I went to London with the train.
I went to London by train.
When talking about the method of transport, use 'by train'. Use 'on the train' only if you are talking about being inside the vehicle.
02part of a dress
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the long back part of a formal dress that trails on the floor behind the person.
n. the elongated trailing portion of a skirt or robe.
日本語:裾※
“The bride needed help carrying the long train of her wedding dress.”
“The velvet train of the queen's coronation gown extended several metres behind her as she walked down the aisle.”
Synonyms
03sequence of thoughts/events
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a connected series of events, ideas, or things.
n. a succession of connected ideas, events, or objects following one another in order.
“The loud noise made me lose my train of thought while I was speaking.”
“The discovery set off a long train of events that eventually led to a complete change in government policy.”
04to teach or learn a skill
A2 · Elementary
v. to teach a person or animal how to do something, or to practice a skill yourself.
v. to impart skills or knowledge through systematic instruction and practice; also to undergo such a process.
“She is training her new puppy to sit and stay.”
“The company spent thousands of pounds to train their staff on the new software system.”
05physical exercise
A2 · Elementary Sports
v. to prepare for a sport or activity by exercising and practicing.
v. to undergo a regimen of physical exercise and preparation, typically for a competitive event.
“He is training hard for the marathon next month.”
“Professional athletes often train twice a day to maintain their peak physical condition during the season.”
06computing
C1 · Advanced Computing Technical
v. to give data to a computer program so it can learn how to do a task.
v. to provide a machine learning algorithm with a dataset to develop a predictive model.
“They used millions of images to train the AI to recognize faces.”
“The researchers required significant computational power to train the neural network on such a massive dataset.”
07horticulture
C1 · Advanced Horticulture Technical
v. to make a plant grow in a certain direction by tying or cutting it.
v. to control the growth of a plant by pruning or fastening branches to a support.
“We trained the roses to grow along the wooden fence.”
“By carefully pruning the lateral shoots, the gardener trained the grapevine to cover the entire trellis.”
Etymology
From Middle English trayne (“train”), from Old French train (“a delay, a drawing out”), from traïner (“to pull out, to draw”), from Vulgar Latin traginō, from tragō, from Latin trahō (“to pull, to draw”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tregʰ- (“to pull, draw, drag”). The verb was derived from the noun in Middle English. For the meaning to teach compare typologically Russian ната́скивать (natáskivatʹ) (akin to тащи́ть (taščítʹ)).
From Middle English trayne (“treachery”), from Anglo-Norman traine, Middle French traïne, from traïr (“to betray”).
From Dutch traan (“tear, drop”), from Middle Dutch trâen, from Old Dutch trān, from Proto-Germanic *trahnuz. Compare German Träne (“tear”), Tran (“train oil”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/train
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0