railing

[ rey-ling ]
/ ˈreɪ lɪŋ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR railing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a fencelike barrier composed of one or more horizontal rails supported by widely spaced uprights; balustrade.
banister.
rails collectively.

Origin of railing

First recorded in 1350–1400; rail1 + -ing1

Words nearby railing

railage, railbird, railcar, railcard, railhead, railing, raillery, railroad, railroad flat, railroad pen, railroad worm

Definition for railing (2 of 3)

rail 1
[ reyl ]
/ reɪl /

noun

verb (used with object)

to furnish or enclose with a rail or rails.

Origin of rail

1
1250–1300; Middle English raile < Old French raille bar, beam < Latin rēgula bar, straight piece of wood, regula

OTHER WORDS FROM rail

rail·less, adjective rail·like, adjective

Definition for railing (3 of 3)

rail 2
[ reyl ]
/ reɪl /

verb (used without object)

to utter bitter complaint or vehement denunciation (often followed by at or against): to rail at fate.

verb (used with object)

to bring, force, etc., by railing.

Origin of rail

2
1425–75; late Middle English railen < Middle French railler to deride < Provençal ralhar to chatter < Vulgar Latin *ragulāre, derivative of Late Latin ragere to bray

OTHER WORDS FROM rail

rail·er, noun rail·ing·ly, adverb

Words related to railing

fence, barrier, rail, siding, pole, banister, bar, rest, balustrade, paling

Example sentences from the Web for railing

British Dictionary definitions for railing (1 of 4)

railing
/ (ˈreɪlɪŋ) /

noun

(often plural) a fence, balustrade, or barrier that consists of rails supported by posts
rails collectively or material for making rails

British Dictionary definitions for railing (2 of 4)

rail 1
/ (reɪl) /

noun

verb (tr)

to provide with a rail or railings
(usually foll by in or off) to fence (an area) with rails

Derived forms of rail

railless, adjective

Word Origin for rail

C13: from Old French raille rod, from Latin rēgula ruler, straight piece of wood

British Dictionary definitions for railing (3 of 4)

rail 2
/ (reɪl) /

verb

(intr ; foll by at or against) to complain bitterly or vehemently to rail against fate

Derived forms of rail

railer, noun

Word Origin for rail

C15: from Old French railler to mock, from Old Provençal ralhar to chatter, joke, from Late Latin ragere to yell, neigh

British Dictionary definitions for railing (4 of 4)

rail 3
/ (reɪl) /

noun

any of various small wading birds of the genus Rallus and related genera: family Rallidae, order Gruiformes (cranes, etc). They have short wings, long legs, and dark plumage

Word Origin for rail

C15: from Old French raale, perhaps from Latin rādere to scrape

Idioms and Phrases with railing

rail

see off the rails; thin as a rail; third rail.