Word of the Day
17 June 2026
six foot
the area between the closest rails of two parallel standard gauge railway lines, regardless of the actual distance.
Why this one
The name is a fossil: it comes from a nominal spacing that modern layouts rarely match, so a six foot can measure well under six feet. Its companion is the four foot, the space between the rails of a single line.
In use
Keep your tools out the six foot, there's a down train due and you'll not have room to stand clear.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.Sources
- Definition sourceWiktionary