derails

Verb

derail (third-person singular simple present derails, present participle derailing, simple past and past participle derailed)

1. (transitive) To cause to come off the tracks.
   • The train was destroyed when it was derailed by the collision.
2. (intransitive) To come off the tracks.
   • Fortunately, the CrossCountry train did not derail when it struck the mud. It could easily have been much worse.2020 September 9, Paul Clifton, “Heavy rainfall causes landslip in Hampshire: At the scene...”, in Rail, page 10
3. (figuratively, intransitive) To deviate from the previous course or direction.
   • The conversation derailed once James brought up politics.
4. (figuratively, transitive) To cause to deviate from a set course or direction.
   • The protesting students derailed the professor's lecture.

See all 6 meanings of derail