Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fourth rail

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.27 in modern English

Syllables: fourth rail
IPA

16

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

1

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An extra rail in addition to the third rail (live rail) which is used for current return purposes, mainly by London Underground, because of problems caused by using the running rails for current return underground.

Example Sentences

"It was the only line to operate by means of the third-rail system (as distinct from the fourth-rail system now universal on all London's Underground railways) and its coaches were of different design and appearance from those on other systems."
"The railway used the 'Third Rail' system of electrification, like all the early Tubes. (But it would soon be replaced across the network by another system even more exciting - Fourth''' Rail!)"

Inflected Forms

fourth rails (plural)

Questions

What does fourth rail mean?: An extra rail in addition to the third rail (live rail) which is used for current return purposes, mainly by London Underground, because of problems caused by using the running rails for current return underground.

How to pronounce fourth rail

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “fourth rail”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “fourth rail”.
Repeat and practice — Say “fourth rail” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.