{
    "term": "rail",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "image": "data/images/ve/vehicles_trains.png",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a wooden or metal bar placed around something as a barrier or to provide support",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She leaned on the ship's rail and gazed out to sea."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He climbed onto the top fence rail."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She held tightly on to the rail."
                },
                {
                    "text": "After the accident a guard rail was placed all the way along the cliff path."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He came slowly down the stairs, holding the banister rail."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["guard", "safety", "curtain"],
                "verb + rail": ["grab", "grasp", "grip"],
                "preposition": ["on a/​the rail", "over a/​the rail"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a bar fixed to the wall for hanging things on",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a curtain rail"
                },
                {
                    "text": "A black dress was hanging on the rail."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Lace curtains hung from the brass rails over the bed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He put the towel back on the rail."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["guard", "safety", "curtain"],
                "verb + rail": ["grab", "grasp", "grip"],
                "preposition": ["on a/​the rail", "over a/​the rail"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "each of the two metal bars that form the track that trains run on",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The train thundered along the rails."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The train came off the rails."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Trams run along rails."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Weeds grew between the rails."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A child was seen crossing the rails."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The gun is mounted on rails."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Transport by bus and train"],
            "collocations": {
                "verb + rail": ["run along rails", "run on rails"],
                "preposition": [
                    "along (the) rails",
                    "between the rails",
                    "on (the) rails"
                ],
                "phrases": ["come off the rails", "go off the rails", "ride the rails"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "railways as a means of transport",
            "sensetop": "by rail",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to travel by rail",
                    "contextForm": "by rail"
                },
                {
                    "text": "rail travel/services/fares"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a rail link/network"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He uses a combination of commuter rail and underground to get to work."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Many business people now opt for high-speed rail rather than flying."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We went from London to Budapest by rail."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the Channel Tunnel rail link"
                },
                {
                    "text": "efforts to modernize the rail network"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Transport by bus and train"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["high-speed", "light", "commuter"],
                "rail + noun": ["fare", "ticket", "network"],
                "preposition": ["by rail"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to become successful again after a period of failure, or to begin functioning normally again",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He has helped get the company back on the rails again."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Success"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to start behaving in a way that is strange or unacceptable, for example drinking a lot or taking drugs",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She went completely off the rails after her sister died."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was worried his son was going to go completely off the rails."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to lose control and stop functioning correctly",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The company has gone badly off the rails in recent years."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Difficulty and failure"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to leave the track suddenly",
            "examples": []
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/reɪl/",
                "audio": "ra/rail/rail__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/reɪl/",
                "audio": "ra/rail/rail__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "noun Middle English: from Old French reille ‘iron rod’, from Latin regula ‘straight stick, rule’."
}