/ treɪn; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a railway / railroad engine pulling a number of coaches / cars or trucks, taking people and goods from one place to another :
to get on / off a train
I like travelling by train .
a passenger / commuter / goods / freight train
to catch / take / get the train to London
a train journey / driver
You have to change trains at Reading.
—see also gravy train , road train , wagon train
2.
a number of people or animals moving in a line :
a camel train
3.
[ usually sing. ] a series of events or actions that are connected :
His death set in motion a train of events that led to the outbreak of war.
4.
the part of a long formal dress that spreads out on the floor behind the person wearing it
•
IDIOMS
- bring sth in its train
- in sb's train
- set sth in train
- a train of thought
■ verb
1.
train (sb) (as / in / for sth) to teach a person or an animal the skills for a particular job or activity; to be taught in this way :
[ vn ]
badly trained staff
[ vn to inf ]
They train dogs to sniff out drugs.
[ v ]
He trained as a teacher before becoming an actor.
All members of the team have trained in first aid.
[ v to inf ]
Sue is training to be a doctor.
2.
train (sb) (for / in sth) to prepare yourself/sb for a particular activity, especially a sport, by doing a lot of exercise; to prepare a person or an animal in this way :
[ v ]
athletes training for the Olympics
[ vn ]
She trains horses.
He trains the Olympic team.
3.
to develop a natural ability or quality so that it improves :
[ vn ]
An expert with a trained eye will spot the difference immediately.
[ vn to inf ]
You can train your mind to think positively.
4.
[ vn ] train sth (around / along / up, etc.) to make a plant grow in a particular direction :
Roses had been trained around the door.
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- train sth at / on sb/sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (as a noun in the sense delay ): from Old French train (masculine), traine (feminine), from trahiner (verb), from Latin trahere pull, draw. Early noun senses were trailing part of a robe and retinue ; the latter gave rise to line of travelling people or vehicles , later a connected series of things . The early verb sense cause a plant to grow in a desired shape was the basis of the sense instruct .