rail
UK[reɪl]US[reɪl]
n
A bar or series of bars fixed on upright supports or attached to a wall, used as a barrier, support, or for holding onto.
n
A steel bar or continuous line of bars laid on the ground as one of a pair forming a railway track.
v
To complain or protest strongly about something.
Etymology
The journey of 'rail' begins with the Latin verb 'regere', meaning to rule or to make straight. From this, the noun 'regula' was formed, denoting a straight piece of wood used as a ruler or a pattern. This term passed into Old French as 'reille', specifically referring to an iron bar. Upon entering English, the word 'rail' retained its core sense of a straight, rigid bar. This fundamental meaning logically branched into its modern uses: first, as a physical bar for support or enclosure, and later, as the parallel steel bars that guide and direct a train. The verbal sense, 'to rail against', metaphorically extends from the idea of using harsh, straight, or direct language to control or criticize.
Analysis
The word 'rail' is a simplex word. It entered Middle English from Old French 'reille', meaning an iron bar, which itself derived from Latin 'regula', meaning a straight piece of wood, a ruler, or a pattern. The Latin 'regula' comes from the verb 'regere', meaning to rule, keep straight, or guide.
Examples
She held onto the wooden rail as she descended the steep stairs.
The train sped along the newly laid rail.
He would often rail against the injustices of the system.