rail|road

rail|road «RAYL _ROHD», noun, verb.

–n.

1. a road or track with parallel steel rails on which the wheels of the cars go. Engines usually pull trains on railroads.

2. a) the tracks, stations, trains, and other property of a system of transportation that uses rails, together with the people who manage them: »

The Columbia was a turbulent river…It had its era of steamboats, which gave way in time to the railroads (Newsweek).

b) the people, such as a company or corporation, who manage a railroad. Abbr: R.R.

3. Bowling. a split, especially one that leaves the 7 and 10 pins standing.

4. (in court tennis) a hard overhead serve made near the wall at the left of the server as he faces the net.

–v.i.

to work on a railroad.

–v.t. U.S.

1. to send by railroad; carry on a railroad.

2. Informal, Figurative. to send along quickly or too quickly to be fair: »

His enemies tried to railroad him to prison without a fair trial.