RIDES OUT ON RAIL Meaning and
Definition
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The phrase "rides out on rail" refers to a colloquial expression used to describe the act of publicly punishing and banishing or expelling an individual, particularly a public official, in a manner that symbolically implicates disgrace or humiliation. The term originates from 19th-century America, during a time when railroads were a significant mode of transportation. The expression involves literally forcing the individual to sit on a rail, usually a wooden fence rail or a beam, and parading them through town or a public area, thereby exposing them to ridicule and scorn.
Typically, this form of punishment was employed when the community regarded the individual's actions as highly immoral, corrupt, or harmful. The aim of the "rides out on rail" practice was not only to physically remove the person from the community but also to humiliate and shame them, making a public spectacle of their transgressions. The intention was to ensure that others would be deterred from engaging in similar behavior by demonstrating the severe consequences that awaited wrongdoers.
While the practice is no longer an actual means of punishment in contemporary society, the expression "rides out on rail" continues to be used figuratively to depict public humiliation and disgrace. It serves as a reminder of a historical method of community justice that sought to publicly shame and banish individuals believed to have acted in a manner detrimental to society.
Common Misspellings for RIDES OUT ON RAIL
- rids out on rail
- ride out on rail
- eides out on rail
- dides out on rail
- fides out on rail
- tides out on rail
- 5ides out on rail
- 4ides out on rail
- rudes out on rail
- rjdes out on rail
- rkdes out on rail
- r9des out on rail
- r8des out on rail
- rises out on rail
- rixes out on rail
- rices out on rail
- rifes out on rail
- rires out on rail
- riees out on rail
- ridws out on rail
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