Derail

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dəˈreɪl/, /ËŒdiːˈreɪl/
• Rhymes: -eɪl

Origin

From French dérailler ("to go off the rails").

Full definition of derail

Noun

1. A device placed on railway tracks causing a train to derail.The derail was placed deliberately so that the train would fall into the river.

Verb

1. (transitive) To cause to come off the tracks.The train was destroyed when it was derailed by the penny.
2. (intransitive) To come off the tracks.
3. (intransitive) To deviate from the previous course or direction.The conversation derailed once James brought up politics.
4. (transitive) To cause to deviate from a set course or direction.The protesting students derailed the professor's lecture.

Derived terms

• derailment

Anagrams

• dialer
• laired
• railed
• redial
• relaid, re-laid