entrained
entrained — verb
1. to get onto a train, or to load people or goods onto one.
to get onto a train, or to load people or goods onto one.
At dawn, the soldiers entrained at Tours for the trip east.
entrain at + station/place
Station staff entrained the racehorses in padded cars before sunset.
entrain + goods/animals + in cars
After lunch, the museum group entrained for Lyon with their guide.
Porters entrained the mail sacks while steam hissed beside the platform.
- entrain at the station
- entrain the horses
- entrain the mail sacks
Grammar Patterns
entrain + at/from + station
entrain + passengers/goods + in/onto + train
Usage Note
Usually seen in historical, military, or railway writing. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about trains, not about a rhythm changing to match an outside cue.
2. to make a rhythm or cycle line up with an outside signal, or to become lined up
to make a rhythm or cycle line up with an outside signal, or to become lined up with it.
After three mornings outside, the baby's sleep cycle entrained to sunrise.
be entrained to + cue
Blue lamps entrained the fish to a feeding hour near dusk.
entrain + animals + to + timing cue
The steady drumbeat entrained the rowers to one stroke rate.
Within a week, Mei's body clock entrained to the night shift.
- entrain the body clock
- entrain to light
- entrain to a beat
Grammar Patterns
entrain + rhythm/clock + to + cue
be/become entrained to + cue
Usage Note
Often appears with body clock, rhythm, or animals and with 'to' after the verb. Distinguish from sense 3: sense 2 changes timing, while sense 3 carries material in moving air or water.
3. to let moving air or water pull particles or gas into its stream and carry them
to let moving air or water pull particles or gas into its stream and carry them onward.
The pump entrained sand and pushed it into the cooling pipe.
entrain + particles in a moving stream
Strong surf entrained seaweed and foam near the black rocks.
The exhaust fan entrained flour dust above the mixing table.
As water fell, the spillway entrained air and grit below.
- entrain sand
- entrain dust
- entrain air
Grammar Patterns
entrain + particles/gas
be entrained in/by + flow
Usage Note
The subject is usually moving air, water, or another fluid. Distinguish from sense 4: sense 3 pulls material inside a flow, not behind a solid object.
4. to pull another thing behind or beside a moving object so it travels with it.
to pull another thing behind or beside a moving object so it travels with it.
The runaway cart entrained two loose bags as it rolled downhill.
entrain + loose objects behind a mover
Her long wedding dress entrained wet leaves across the garden path.
The rescue boat entrained three small rafts behind it in rough water.
A crane hook entrained scraps of wire while the load swung.
- entrain loose bags
- entrain leaves
- entrain rafts
Grammar Patterns
entrain + object + behind/with + mover
Usage Note
Usually describes a moving solid object pulling other things behind it. Unlike sense 3, the carried items are not suspended inside a stream of air or water.
5. to mix many tiny air bubbles through wet concrete so it handles freezing weather
to mix many tiny air bubbles through wet concrete so it handles freezing weather better after it hardens.
The crew entrained tiny air bubbles in the bridge deck mix.
entrain air bubbles in concrete mix
The contractor entrained more air after the forecast warned of ice.
Lab tests showed the batch had not entrained enough air.
To resist winter cracking, the plant entrained air into each truckload.
- entrain air
- entrain bubbles
- entrain air into concrete
Grammar Patterns
entrain + air + in/into + concrete
Usage Note
Mostly used in construction or materials science. The object is air, and the result is concrete that resists freezing and thawing more effectively.