As a noun, a railroad is a system of tracks, trains, and stations used to move people and goods over land. As a verb, especially in American English, it can mean to force someone to do something or accept a decision quickly and unfairly.
It combines “rail,” meaning a metal track, and “road,” meaning a route for travel. The term grew in the 1800s with the expansion of train transportation, especially in the United States.
The verb “to railroad” someone comes from the feeling of being pushed forward by a powerful system that doesn’t stop, just like a train. Building railroads in the 1800s reshaped countries so dramatically that the word also took on this strong metaphorical power.
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