rail 1 S2 W2 / reɪl / 名词

1 [不可数名词] the railway system → train :

the American rail system

a high-speed rail network

Passengers want a better rail service .

the Channel Tunnel and its rail links with London

by rail

We continued our journey by rail.

I need to buy a rail ticket .

cheap rail fares

2 [可数名词] one of the two long metal tracks fastened to the ground that trains move along

3 [可数名词] a bar that is fastened along or around something, especially to stop you from going somewhere or from falling :

Several passengers were leaning against the ship’s rail. → guardrail , handrail

4 [可数名词] a bar that you use to hang things on :

a towel rail

a curtain rail

5 go off the rails informal to start behaving in a strange or socially unacceptable way :

At 17 he suddenly went off the rails and started stealing.

6 back on the rails happening or functioning normally again :

The coach was credited with putting the team back on the rails.

COLLOCATIONS

rail + NOUN

the rail network/system (= the system of railway lines in a country ) The government has spent £2 billion on improving the country’s rail network.

a rail service People want a safe, reliable rail service.

a rail ticket a first-class rail ticket

a rail fare Rail fares are to increase by up to 9.4%.

rail travel They had introduced measures to make rail travel safer.

a rail passenger Rail passengers will have to pay more for their tickets next year.

a rail crash Police have named four more victims of the Selby rail crash.

a rail link (= that makes train travel between two places possible ) He proposed building a high-speed rail link between the two airports.