handrail

Everyday

A handrail is a long bar along stairs, a ramp, a bridge or a bath that you hold on to for support and safety. tree →

In the lessons

In safety lessons pupils learn to hold the handrail on stairs and escalators, walk on the stairs, and never slide down handrails or lean over them. Handrails help older people and people with disabilities; on buses and trains they keep people from falling. Phrases: hold the handrail, use the handrail, stair handrail.

Examples

• Hold the handrail when you go down the stairs. tree →
• Grandma uses the handrail to climb the steps. tree →
• Don't slide down the handrail! tree →
• The bridge has a handrail on each side. tree →
• Hold on to the handrail on the moving bus. tree →
• The ramp has handrails for wheelchair users. tree →

Note

Countable noun; one word: hand + rail. Also called a banister or railing on stairs in a house. Safety: always keep one hand on the handrail, especially when stairs are wet or you carry something.