Train, n. [F. train, OF. traïn, trahin; cf. (for some of the senses) F. traine. See Train, v.] 1. That which draws along; especially, persuasion, artifice, or enticement; allurement. “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.
Roll train, orTrain of rolls(Rolling Mill), a set of plain or grooved rolls for rolling metal into various forms by a series of consecutive operations. — Train mile(Railroads), a unit employed in estimating running expenses, etc., being one of the total number of miles run by all the trains of a road, or system of roads, as within a given time, or for a given expenditure; — called also mile run. — Train of artillery, any number of cannon, mortars, etc., with the attendants and carriages which follow them into the field. Campbell (Dict. Mil. Sci.). — Train of mechanism, a series of moving pieces, as wheels and pinions, each of which is follower to that which drives it, and driver to that which follows it. — Train road, a slight railway for small cars, — used for construction, or in mining. — Train tackle(Naut.), a tackle for running guns in and out.
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.