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2295 entries found
raid (v.)
"take part in a raid," 1785 (implied in raiding), from raid (n.). Related: Raided; raiding. Also see raider.
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raider (n.)
1863, agent noun from raid (v.). A word from the American Civil War.
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rail (n.1)
"horizontal bar passing from one post or support to another," c. 1300, from Old French reille "bolt, bar," from Vulgar Latin *regla, from Latin regula "rule, straight piece of wood," diminutive form related to regere "to straighten, guide" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line"). Used figuratively for thinness from 1872. To be off the rails in a figurative sense is from 1848, an image from the railroads. In U.S. use, "A piece of timber, cleft, hewed, or sawed, inserted in upright posts for fencing" [Webster, 1830].
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rail (v.1)
"complain," mid-15c., from Middle French railler "to tease or joke" (15c.), perhaps from Old Provençal ralhar "scoff, to chat, to joke," from Vulgar Latin *ragulare "to bray" (source also of Italian ragghiare "to bray"), from Late Latin ragere "to roar," probably of imitative origin. See rally (v.2). Related: Railed; railing.
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rail (v.2)
"fence in with rails," late 14c., from rail (n.1). Related: Railed; railing.
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rail (n.2)
"small wading bird," mid-15c., from Old French raale (13c.), related to râler "to rattle," of unknown origin, perhaps imitative of its cry.
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rail-splitter (n.)
1853, from rail (n.1) + agent noun from split (v.). Usually with reference to or suggestion of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln, as it figured in his political biography.
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railing (n.)
"construction in which rails form an important part," early 15c., verbal noun from rail (v.2). Technically, railings (late 15c.) are horizontal, palings are vertical.
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raillery (n.)
"good-humored ridicule," 1650s, from rail (v.) + -ery, or perhaps from French raillerie, from Middle French railler "to tease" (see rail (v.1)).
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railroad (n.)
1757, from rail (n.1) + road. Originally "road laid with rails for heavy wagons (in mining)." The process itself (but not the word) seems to have been in use by late 17c. Application to passenger and freight trains dates from 1825, though tending to be replaced in this sense in England by railway.
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