third rail
θɜːd reɪl
Definition Synonyms

Definition of third rail - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

1.
controversial topicUKtopic considered dangerous to discussUK
  • Social security is often seen as a third rail in politics.
2.
railwayTECH.UShigh-voltage rail beside a train track providing powerTECH.US
  • The train operates efficiently due to the electrified third rail..
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Images of third rail

  • third rail: high-voltage rail beside a train track providing power
    high-voltage rail beside a train track providing power

Expressions with third

third basen.
base that a runner must touch third in baseball
The player slid into third base just in time..
third stringn.
group ranked lower in a hierarchy
She was part of the third string in the project.
third degreen.
intense questioning or interrogation
He gave her the third degree about her whereabouts last night..
third wheeln.
unwanted person joining a couple
She didn't want to be a third wheel on their date.
third year runningadj.
happening for three consecutive years
She won the award for the third year running.
get the third degreev.
be intensely questioned or interrogated
After missing curfew, she got the third degree from her parents.

Expressions with rail

rail offv.
separate an area with a barrier
They decided to rail off the garden.
rail againstv.
protest strongly and persistently
The citizens railed against the new tax law.
rail thinadj.
extremely thin like a rail
The model was rail thin, fitting perfectly into the dress.
thin as a railadj.
extremely thin, often unhealthily so
After the illness, he was thin as a rail.
skinny as a railadj.
extremely narrow or slim in shape
The alley was so skinny as a rail only one person could pass.
by railadv.
using trains as the way of travel or transport
We shipped the goods by rail.
rail faren.
cost to travel by train
The rail fare to London is quite expensive.
rail linen.
route or service provided by a railway
The new rail line connects the two cities.
safety railn.
rail installed for safety purposes
The workers installed a safety rail along the edge of the platform.
towel railn.
bar in a bathroom for hanging or drying towels
She hung her towel on the towel rail.

Terms related to third rail

💡 Terms in the same lexical field: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, hypernyms…
controversyhot potatominefieldno-go areatouchy subjectconductorelectricmetrorailwaysubwaytracktrain

Terms with third rail included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
collector shoen.
electricity collection
device that collects electric current from a third rail
conductor railn.
railway
third rail providing power in a railway system

Examples of third rail in a sentence

  • The topic of gun control is a third rail in many debates.
  • Maintenance of the third rail is crucial for safety.
  • Touching the third rail can be fatal.

View all translations of third rail

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:sujet tabou, troisième rail, ...
  2. German:heißes Eisen, Stromschiene, ...
  3. Italian:argomento tabù, terza rotaia, ...
  4. Spanish:tema tabú, tercer riel, ...
  5. Portuguese:tabu político, terceiro trilho, ...
  6. Chinese:禁忌话题, 第三轨, ...
  7. Japanese:第三のレール, 第三軌条, ...
  8. Arabic:مَوْضوع شائِك, قَضِيب التَّغْذِيَة الثَّالِث, ...
  9. Hebrew:קַו אָדוֹם, פַּס הַזָּנָה, ...
  10. Russian:опасная тема, третий рельс, ...
  11. Ukrainian:небезпечне питання, електрифікована рейка, ...
  12. Hindi:अछूता मुद्दा, तीसरी रेल, ...
Browse the dictionary entries starting with “t”:
third power third quarter third reading third sacker

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