train

The word “train” means a line of connected railway carriages pulled by an engine, used to carry passengers or freight. In plain terms, a railway vehicle, a trailing part of a dress, a connected sequence, or to teach/practise a skill.

“Train” is pronounced TRAYN (/ˈtɹeɪn/ in IPA).

Here is “train” used in a sentence: “We caught the early train to London.”

Depending on how it is used, “train” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “train” comes from Latin. From Old French train ("a drawing out, a delay"), from traïner ("to pull, to draw"), ultimately from Latin trahere, "to pull or drag" — the sense "to teach" developed later in Middle English by extension.

“Train” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Train” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a line of connected railway carriages pulled by an engine, used to carry passengers or freight.

Trains vary by job and speed. Passenger trains carry people, from local commuter services to high-speed intercity expresses. Freight or goods trains haul cargo. Underground, metro, and tram systems run shorter urban trains, while historic steam and modern electric or diesel trains differ by what powers the engine.

A train runs on dedicated railway tracks, is usually longer, and travels between towns or cities. A tram is a smaller light-rail vehicle that runs mainly through city streets, often sharing roads with traffic and stopping frequently. Trains cover distance; trams handle short urban journeys.

Historically trains were pulled by steam locomotives burning coal. Most modern trains run on diesel engines or on electricity drawn from overhead lines or an electrified rail. The engine, or locomotive, provides the power that pulls or pushes the connected carriages along the track.