ride on a rail: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  UShistoricaldatedinformalMachine
  • To be subjected to public humiliation, punishment, or forced expulsion by being placed astride a fence rail and paraded or driven out of town.
  • To be treated harshly or ostracized by a community, often as a form of vigilante justice or mob discipline.

  Examples

  Beta

  • In old Western towns, criminals were sometimes made to ride on a rail as a public humiliation before being expelled.

    En los viejos pueblos del Oeste, a veces hacían que los criminales montaran en un listón como humillación pública antes de expulsarlos.

  • After the scandal, the politician was metaphorically ridden on a rail by the media and forced to resign.

    Después del escándalo, el político fue humillado públicamente por los medios y obligado a renunciar.

  • They feared being ridden on a rail by the townsfolk if they were caught breaking the strict community rules.

    Temían ser humillados públicamente por los habitantes si los atrapaban rompiendo las estrictas reglas comunitarias.