from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Mile \Mile\ (m[imac]l), n. [AS. m[imac]l, fr. L. millia, milia;
pl. of mille a thousand, i. e., milia passuum a thousand
paces. Cf. {Mill} the tenth of a cent, {Million}.]
A certain measure of distance, being equivalent in England
and the United States to 320 poles or rods, or 5,280 feet.
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Note: The distance called a mile varies greatly in different
countries. Its length in yards is, in Norway, 12,182;
in Brunswick, 11,816; in Sweden, 11,660; in Hungary,
9,139; in Switzerland, 8,548; in Austria, 8,297; in
Prussia, 8,238; in Poland, 8,100; in Italy, 2,025; in
England and the United States, 1,760; in Spain, 1,552;
in the Netherlands, 1,094.
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{Geographical mile} or {Nautical mile}, one sixtieth of a
degree of a great circle of the earth, or 6080.27 feet.
{Mile run}. Same as {Train mile}. See under {Train}.
{Roman mile}, a thousand paces, equal to 1,614 yards English
measure.
{Statute mile}, a mile conforming to statute, that is, in
England and the United States, a mile of 5,280 feet, as
distinguished from any other mile.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Train \Train\, n. [F. train, OF. tra["i]n, trahin; cf. (for some
of the senses) F. traine. See {Train}, v.]
1. That which draws along; especially, persuasion, artifice,
or enticement; allurement. [Obs.] "Now to my charms, and
to my wily trains." --Milton.
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2. Hence, something tied to a lure to entice a hawk; also, a
trap for an animal; a snare. --Halliwell.
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With cunning trains him to entrap un wares.
--Spenser.
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3. That which is drawn along in the rear of, or after,
something; that which is in the hinder part or rear.
Specifically :
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(a) That part of a gown which trails behind the wearer.
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(b) (Mil.) The after part of a gun carriage; the trail.
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(c) The tail of a bird. "The train steers their flights,
and turns their bodies, like the rudder of ship."
--Ray.
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4. A number of followers; a body of attendants; a retinue; a
suite.
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The king's daughter with a lovely train. --Addison.
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My train are men of choice and rarest parts. --Shak.
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5. A consecution or succession of connected things; a series.
"A train of happy sentiments." --I. Watts.
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The train of ills our love would draw behind it.
--Addison.
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Rivers now
Stream and perpetual draw their humid train.
--Milton.
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Other truths require a train of ideas placed in
order. --Locke.
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6. Regular method; process; course; order; as, things now in
a train for settlement.
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If things were once in this train, . . . our duty
would take root in our nature. --Swift.
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7. The number of beats of a watch in any certain time.
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8. A line of gunpowder laid to lead fire to a charge, mine,
or the like.
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9. A connected line of cars or carriages on a railroad; --
called also {railroad train}.
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10. A heavy, long sleigh used in Canada for the
transportation of merchandise, wood, and the like.
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11. (Rolling Mill) A roll train; as, a 12-inch train.
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12. (Mil.) The aggregation of men, animals, and vehicles
which accompany an army or one of its subdivisions, and
transport its baggage, ammunition, supplies, and reserve
materials of all kinds.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
{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 (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.
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Syn: Cars.
Usage: {Train}, {Cars}. At one time "train" meaning railroad
train was also referred to in the U. S. by the phrase
"the cars". In the 1913 dictionary the usage was
described thus: "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."
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