First Known Use: 1850
Dictionary
derail
verb de·rail \di-ˈrāl, dē-\
of a train : to leave its tracks
: to cause (a train) to leave its tracks
Full Definition of DERAIL
transitive verb
1
: to cause to run off the rails
2
a : to obstruct the progress of : frustrate <security problems derailed the tour> b : to upset the stability or composure of <divorce … can seriously derail an employee — Joanne Gordon>
intransitive verb
: to leave the rails
— de·rail·ment \-mənt\ noun
See derail defined for English-language learners
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Origin of DERAIL
French dérailler to throw off the track, from dé- de- + rail, from English
Related to DERAIL
- Synonyms
- agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, disturb, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worry
- Antonyms
- calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)
Rhymes with DERAIL
abseil, airmail, all hail, assail, avail, bake sale, bangtail, blackmail, blacktail, bobtail, broadscale, broadtail, bucktail, bud scale, canaille, cattail, chain mail, coattail, cocktail, contrail, curtail, detail, doornail, dovetail, downscale, ducktail, e-mail, entail, exhale, fan mail, fantail, female, fife rail, fire sale, fishtail, folktale, foresail, foxtail, fresh gale, full-scale, gapped scale, Glendale, gray scale, greenmail, guardrail, Hallel, handrail, hangnail, headsail, hightail, hobnail, horntail, horsetail, impale, inhale, junk mail, Longueuil, lugsail, mainsail, mare's tail, Mondale, moon snail, oxtail, pass-fail, percale, pigtail, pintail, pinwale, plate rail, pot ale, prevail, rattail, regale, resale, rescale, retail, right whale, ringtail, Sangreal, Scottsdale, sea kale, shavetail, shirttail, skysail, slop pail, small-scale, snail mail, soft hail, split rail, springtail, spritsail, square sail, staysail, strong gale, surveil, swordtail, taffrail, tag sale, telltale, third rail, thumbnail, timescale, toenail, topsail, travail, trysail, unnail, unveil, upscale, ventail, voice mail, wage scale, wagtail, wassail, whiptail, white sale, whitetail, white whale, whole gale, wholesale, yard sale
DERAIL Defined for Kids
derail
verb de·rail \di-ˈrāl\
de·railedde·rail·ing
Definition of DERAIL for Kids
1
: to leave or cause to leave the rails <The train derailed.>
2
: to make progress or success difficult for <Injuries derailed his plan for a championship.>
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