Make Your Point > Archived Issues > RAILROAD
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pronounce
RAILROAD:
Say it "RALE rode."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
You've got to love a word with self-contained alliteration.
Like...
cookie;
billboard;
d___ing-d_ ("daring actions or reckless courage");
w____er-w___ ("good at predicting how people will react, think, and feel about things");
and railroad, the aggressive verb we're checking out today.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
The word "railroad" dates back to 1757 and first described the wooden kind used in mines.
Of course, a railroad can transport a primitive mine cart or a high-tech train like the Shanghai maglev, which goes 268 mph. But typically, when we think of railroads, we don't think of wooden mine carts; we think of huge, heavy trains moving with unstoppable force and speed in a single direction.
So, figuratively speaking, to railroad someone into doing something is to force that person into doing that thing, as if you're pushing them into it with the speed and power of a train.
And to railroad something is to force it to happen quickly, without a reasonable amount of planning or consideration.
Either way, this figurative railroading involves pushing someone or something forward--relentlessly, thoughtlessly, aggressively, and perhaps cruelly.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Verb, the transitive kind: "Don't let them railroad you into this plan;" "Don't let them railroad that bill into law."
Other forms:
Railroaded, railroading.
how to use it:
Pick this common, violent-sounding verb when you want to suggest that someone (or some system) is being harsh, hasty, inflexible, heavy-handed, and single-minded. That is, if you're saying that someone railroaded something, you're suggesting that they should have slowed down, thought it through, and/or listened to reason or to people's objections.
Talk about someone railroading a thing or a person, usually into some action, decision, or situation, or through some process. "They railroaded him into this contract." "The law was railroaded through Congress." "He was railroaded through the courts." "Too often, people are railroaded into prison."
These days, "railroading" very often refers to the violation of someone's civil rights by forcing them into prison without a fair trial. For example: "Anthony Ray Hinton spent nearly three decades behind bars for murders he did not commit, railroaded through the legal system and landing on death row" (New York Times).
But feel free to get less abstract: "With a booming voice and a sloshing cup, she railroaded into the party."
examples:
"It is disappointing that this court ruling will enable the... administration to keep railroading vulnerable families into shoddy junk health insurance plans."
— Nancy Pelosi, press release, 17 July 2020
"The Night Of has become a voice. It's becoming a voice for people who have been railroaded in the judicial system, or who have been slighted because they didn't have the finances to pay for a high-powered lawyer."
— Michael K. Williams, as quoted by Melanie MacFarland, Salon, 18 August 2016
has this page helped you understand "railroad"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "railroad" without saying "force through" or "ram forward."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "(Some person, group, or system) has been railroading (certain people) (into or out of some situation)."
Example: "Rights groups have accused the authorities of railroading residents from homes being razed to make way for Olympic venues."
— Conor Humphries, Reuters, 2 March 2010
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is Oddball Recall!
Given some abbreviated definitions and a few letters, try to recall some of the kookiest terms we've studied. To see the answers, scroll all the way down.
Try this set today: Please Excuse My Semi-Obscure Cultural References.
1. Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time: Tral_____orian.
2. Once-colossal, now in ruins. Look, and despair!: Ozy____ian.
3. Uncultured, as if with ears that can't appreciate music: B___ian.
4. What crimes could merit such stupendous woes? All of them: Rh___m__thine.
5. The grand convenience of dismissing problems you haven't personally experienced: P__sn___ian.
review this word:
A. REPEATED FAILURE.
B. ARBITRARY ENFORCEMENT.
C. THOUGHTFUL DELIBERATION.
2.
In a tabletop role-playing game, you might complain that the Game Master is railroading if they seem to _____.
A. provide the players with no meaningful choices to make, forcing them down a single path
B. cast the players into hackneyed fantasy tropes, like the bloodthirsty dwarf and the shifty hooded traveler
C. dissuade the players from making poor choices, protecting them from the consequences of their actions
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
You've got to love a word with self-contained alliteration.
The word "railroad" dates back to 1757 and first described the wooden kind used in mines.
Part of speech:
Pick this common, violent-sounding verb when you want to suggest that someone (or some system) is being harsh, hasty, inflexible, heavy-handed, and single-minded. That is, if you're saying that someone railroaded something, you're suggesting that they should have slowed down, thought it through, and/or listened to reason or to people's objections.
"It is disappointing that this court ruling will enable the... administration to keep railroading vulnerable families into shoddy junk health insurance plans."
Explain the meaning of "railroad" without saying "force through" or "ram forward."
Fill in the blanks: "(Some person, group, or system) has been railroading (certain people) (into or out of some situation)."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |