train
TRAYN
Train (noun) means a line of connected railway carriages pulled by an engine, used to carry passengers or freight. Example: “The freight train rumbled slowly past the station, carrying dozens of heavy containers.”
noun
1
A line of connected railway carriages pulled by an engine, used to carry passengers or freight.
"The freight train rumbled slowly past the station, carrying dozens of heavy containers."
"We caught the early train to London."
"The train was delayed by twenty minutes."
2
A long, flowing part of a garment, especially a wedding dress, that trails along the ground.
"Two bridesmaids carefully lifted the train of the dress as she walked down the aisle."
"The queen's robe had a heavy velvet train that swept across the floor."
"Her wedding dress had a train several metres long."
3
A connected series of events, thoughts, or vehicles.
"A train of camels crossed the desert, led by an old guide."
"One bad decision set off a train of events that nobody had planned."
"He lost his train of thought halfway through the speech."
verb
1
To teach someone a skill through instruction and practice.
"The company will train all its new staff to use the booking system."
"She trains new recruits at the fire academy."
"He trained for months before running the marathon."
2
To feed data into a computer program so it learns to perform a task.
"Engineers train the program on thousands of recorded phone calls so it can recognise speech."
"You can train a spam filter by marking unwanted messages as junk."
"The model was trained on millions of images."
How to use train
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA railway vehicle, a trailing part of a dress, a connected sequence, or to teach/practise a skill.
Common pairings
catch a train
train of thought
train for a marathon
train a model
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Word forms
- Plural
- trains
- Third person singular
- trains
- Past tense
- trained
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The freight _____ rumbled slowly past the station, carrying dozens of heavy containers.
Etymology
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.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for train
See all rhymes for train →Frequently asked questions
What does “train” mean?
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.
How do you pronounce “train”?
“Train” is pronounced TRAYN (/ˈtɹeɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “train” in a sentence?
Here is “train” used in a sentence: “We caught the early train to London.”
What part of speech is “train”?
Depending on how it is used, “train” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “train” come from?
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.
Is “train” a common word?
“Train” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “train” have?
“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.
What are the main types of trains?
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.
What is the difference between a train and a tram?
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.
What powers a train?
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.
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