1. To complain angrily about something: A patient was railing against the medical staff because she had slipped and fallen on the floor in her hospital room at night and she couldn't get up or contact anyone to help her.
2. To express objections or criticisms in bitter, harsh, or abusive language: Too many "talk-show hosts"  rant and rail to an excessive amount of time against those who have different political views than the TV moderators do.

The workers were railing about the unfair treatment they had received from their employer.

3. Normally to use metal bars to create a barrier around or at the edge of something: The city railed off the pedestrian walk on the bridge going across the river.

The workers are in the process of railing off the sides of the balconies of the high-rise apartment.

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Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
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1. A fence made of bars to ensure safety and protection: The parents had to make sure that there was a childproof railing on the balcony when their baby started to walk.
2. A barrier consisting of horizontal bars and supports: Workers were employed to build a fencelike barrier composed of horizontal rails or bars supported by widely spaced uprights to protect Jim's home from intruders.
3. Angry complaints, verbal objections, or bitter criticisms made in harsh or abusive language: As long as congressional members keep hurling railings against each other, is there a chance that they will actually be able to come up with solutions for our nation's problems?

Some citizens feel that there is just too much ranting and railing going on in the political meetings that are going on around the country.

Now the Right-wing and the Left-wing radio hosts are calling on their party followers to attack the Town-Hall meetings of their opponents with railings or loud bombastic and vehement oratory expressed with strong emotions.