1. That which draws along; especially, persuasion, artifice, or enticement; allurement. [Obs.] "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, or Train 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 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