train Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun public transport provided by a line of railway cars coupled together and drawn by a locomotive
    railroad train.
    • express trains don't stop at Princeton Junction
  2. noun a sequentially ordered set of things or events or ideas in which each successive member is related to the preceding
    string.
    • a string of islands
    • train of mourners
    • a train of thought
  3. noun a procession (of wagons or mules or camels) traveling together in single file
    caravan; wagon train.
    • we were part of a caravan of almost a thousand camels
    • they joined the wagon train for safety
  4. noun a series of consequences wrought by an event
    • it led to a train of disasters
  5. noun piece of cloth forming the long back section of a gown that is drawn along the floor
    • the bride's train was carried by her two young nephews
  6. noun wheelwork consisting of a connected set of rotating gears by which force is transmitted or motion or torque is changed
    gearing; geartrain; power train; gear.
    • the fool got his tie caught in the geartrain
  7. verb create by training and teaching
    educate; develop; prepare.
    • The old master is training world-class violinists
    • we develop the leaders for the future
  8. verb undergo training or instruction in preparation for a particular role, function, or profession
    prepare.
    • She is training to be a teacher
    • He trained as a legal aid
  9. verb develop (children's) behavior by instruction and practice; especially to teach self-control
    discipline; check; condition.
    • Parents must discipline their children
    • Is this dog trained?
  10. verb educate for a future role or function
    groom; prepare.
    • He is grooming his son to become his successor
    • The prince was prepared to become King one day
    • They trained him to be a warrior
  11. verb teach or refine to be discriminative in taste or judgment
    educate; civilise; school; cultivate; civilize.
    • Cultivate your musical taste
    • Train your tastebuds
    • She is well schooled in poetry
  12. verb point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
    aim; direct; take; take aim.
    • Please don't aim at your little brother!
    • He trained his gun on the burglar
    • Don't train your camera on the women
    • Take a swipe at one's opponent
  13. verb teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports
    coach.
    • He is training our Olympic team
    • She is coaching the crew
  14. verb exercise in order to prepare for an event or competition
    • She is training for the Olympics
  15. verb cause to grow in a certain way by tying and pruning it
    • train the vine
  16. verb travel by rail or train
    rail.
    • They railed from Rome to Venice
    • She trained to Hamburg
  17. verb drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground
    trail.
    • The toddler was trailing his pants
    • She trained her long scarf behind her

WordNet

Train transitive verb
Etymology
OF. trahiner, traïner,F. traîner, LL. trahinare, trainare, fr. L. trahere to draw. See Trail.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Trained ; present participle & verbal noun Training
Definitions
  1. To draw along; to trail; to drag.
    In hollow cube Training his devilish enginery. Milton.
  2. To draw by persuasion, artifice, or the like; to attract by stratagem; to entice; to allure. Obs.
    If but a dozen French Were there in arms, they would be as a call To train ten thousand English to their side. Shak.
    O, train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note. Shak.
    This feast, I'll gage my life, Is but a plot to train you to your ruin. Ford.
  3. To teach and form by practice; to educate; to exercise; to discipline; as, to train the militia to the manual exercise; to train soldiers to the use of arms.
    Our trained bands, which are the trustiest and most proper strength of a free nation. Milton.
    The warrior horse here bred he's taught to train. Dryden.
  4. To break, tame, and accustom to draw, as oxen.
  5. (Hort.) To lead or direct, and form to a wall or espalier; to form to a proper shape, by bending, lopping, or pruning; as, to train young trees.
    He trained the young branches to the right hand or to the left. Jeffrey.
  6. (Mining) To trace, as a lode or any mineral appearance, to its head.
    Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Prov. xxii. 6.
    The first Christians were, by great hardships, trained up for glory. Tillotson.
Train intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To be drilled in military exercises; to do duty in a military company.
  2. To prepare by exercise, diet, instruction, etc., for any physical contest; as, to train for a boat race.
Train noun
Etymology
F. train, OF. traïn, trahin; cf. (for some of the senses) F. traine. See Train, v.
Definitions
  1. That which draws along; especially, persuasion, artifice, or enticement; allurement. Obs.
    "Now to my charms, and to my wily trains." Milton.
  2. Hence, something tied to a lure to entice a hawk; also, a trap for an animal; a snare. Halliwell.
    With cunning trains him to entrap un wares. Spenser.
  3. That which is drawn along in the rear of, or after, something; that which is in the hinder part or rear. Specifically : -- (a) That part of a gown which trails behind the wearer. (b) (Mil.) The after part of a gun carriage; the trail. (c) The tail of a bird. "The train steers their flights, and turns their bodies, like the rudder of ship." Ray.
  4. A number of followers; a body of attendants; a retinue; a suite.
    The king's daughter with a lovely train. Addison.
    My train are men of choice and rarest parts. Shak.
  5. A consecution or succession of connected things; a series. "A train of happy sentiments." I. Watts.
    The train of ills our love would draw behind it. Addison.
    Rivers now Stream and perpetual draw their humid train. Milton.
    Other truths require a train of ideas placed in order. Locke.
  6. Regular method; process; course; order; as, things now in a train for settlement.
    If things were once in this train, . . . our duty would take root in our nature. Swift.
  7. The number of beats of a watch in any certain time.
  8. A line of gunpowder laid to lead fire to a charge, mine, or the like.
  9. A connected line of cars or carriages on a railroad.
  10. A heavy, long sleigh used in Canada for the transportation of merchandise, wood, and the like.
  11. (Rolling Mill) A roll train; as, a 12-inch train. Syn. -- Cars. -- Train, Cars. Train is the word universally used in England with reference to railroad traveling; as, I came in the morning train. In the United States, the phrase the cars has been extensively introduced in the room of train; as, the cars are late; I came in the cars. The English expression is obviously more appropriate, and is prevailing more and more among Americans, to the exclusion of the cars.

Webster 1913