Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
rail-splitter
noun
/reɪlˈsplɪtər/
Definition
A rail-splitter is a person whose job is to split logs into rails or fence posts, often done by hand with a tool called a wedge.
Examples
- As a young boy, he worked as a rail-splitter, helping to build fences for the family farm.
- Abraham Lincoln was famously known as a rail-splitter, symbolizing his humble beginnings.
- The rail-splitter was a crucial profession in the development of rural America.
Meaning
The term is commonly associated with early American pioneers who split wooden logs to create rail fences.
Synonyms
- fence builder
- logger
- woodcutter
