bail

[ beyl ]

/ beɪl /

Law.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR bail ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

property or money given as surety that a person released from custody will return at an appointed time.

the person who agrees to be liable if someone released from custody does not return at an appointed time.

the state of release upon being bailed.

on bail, released or free as a result of having posted bond: He was out on bail within 10 hours of his arrest.

verb (used with object)

to grant or obtain the liberty of (a person under arrest) on security given for his or her appearance when required, as in court for trial.

to deliver possession of (goods) for storage, hire, or other special purpose, without transfer of ownership.

Idioms for bail

go/stand bail for, to provide bail for: They spent the night in jail because no one would stand bail for them.

jump bail, to abscond while free on bail: The suspect jumped bail and is now being sought.

Origin of bail

1375–1425; late Middle English bayle < Anglo-French bail custody, charge < Old French, noun derivative of baillier to hand over < Latin bāiulāre to serve as porter verbal derivative of bāiulus porter, perhaps an Imperial Latin borrowing from Moesia < *ba(r)i̯- carry (akin to Albanian m-ba hold) < *bhor-i̯-; see bear¹

Words nearby bail

baiae, baidarka, baigneuse, baikal, baikonur, bail, bail bond, bail bondsman, bail out, bail up, bailable

Definition for bail (2 of 4)

bail ²

or bale

[ beyl ]

/ beɪl /

noun

the semicircular handle of a kettle or pail.

a hooplike support, as for the canvas cover on a Conestoga wagon.

a metal band or bar equipped with rollers for holding a sheet or sheets of paper against the platen of a printing press, typewriter, etc.

Origin of bail

1400–50; late Middle English beyl, perhaps < Old Norse; compare Old Norse beyglast to become bent, equivalent to baug(r) ring (see bee²) + *-il noun suffix + -ast middle infinitive suffix

Definition for bail (3 of 4)

bail ³

[ beyl ]

/ beɪl /

verb (used with object)

to dip (water) out of a boat, as with a bucket.

to clear of water by dipping (usually followed by out): to bail out a boat.

verb (used without object)

to bail water.

noun

Also bail·er. a bucket, dipper, or other container used for bailing.

Verb Phrases

bail out,

to make a parachute jump from an airplane.
to relieve or assist (a person, company, etc.) in an emergency situation, especially a financial crisis: The corporation bailed out its failing subsidiary through a series of refinancing operations.
to give up on or abandon something, as to evade a responsibility: His partner bailed out before the business failed.

Also bale (for defs 1–3).

Origin of bail

1425–75; late Middle English bayle < Middle French baille a bucket < Vulgar Latin *bāi(u)la; akin to Latin bāiulus carrier. See bail¹

Definition for bail (4 of 4)

bail ⁴

[ beyl ]

/ beɪl /

noun

Cricket. either of the two small bars or sticks laid across the tops of the stumps which form the wicket.

British, Australian. a bar, framework, partition, or the like, for confining or separating cows, horses, etc., in a stable.

bails, Obsolete. the wall of an outer court of a feudal castle.

Verb Phrases

bail up, Australian.

to confine a cow for milking, as in a bail.
to force (one) to surrender or identify oneself or to state one's business.
to waylay or rob (someone).

Origin of bail

⁴

1350–1400; Middle English baile < Old French < Latin bacula, plural of baculum stick

Example sentences from the Web for bail

Myers had been out on bail in a gun case, but his family claimed he was unarmed and holding only a sandwich in his hand.

The 14 Teens Killed by Cops Since Michael Brown |Nina Strochlic |November 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Anderson is out on bail after posting 10 percent of a $150,000 bond.

Ohio Elementary School Teacher Charged With Raping Her Son |Nina Strochlic |November 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Goodman retreated to house arrest at his luxury mansion on $4 million bail.

Money, Murder, and Adoption: The Wild Trial of the Polo King |Jacqui Goddard |October 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He was out on bail awaiting a sentencing hearing when he skipped town last.

Does a Perv Know Maddie McCann’s Fate? |Barbie Latza Nadeau |October 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

The Belgian court is now determining whether to grant Johnson bail while she awaits trial.

Caught: Female Assassin Who Allegedly Murdered Five American Nuns |Barbie Latza Nadeau |September 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
"Bail water bong along o' this place," said Murri; shaking his head.

In Quest of Gold |Alfred St. Johnston
An' at las' he said he couldn't accept the bail, ez 'twar insufficient.

The Prophet of the Great Smoky Mountains |Charles Egbert Craddock
His sleeves were rolled over his fat forearms, and the two flaps of his unbuttoned vest dangled as he bent to bail out the boat.

The Open Boat and Other Stories |Stephen Crane
The signature of the bail was not necessary, /5/ and it was not requisite that the person bailed should bind himself as a party.

The Common Law |Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
He had an idea that he could not be admitted to bail if accused of forgery.

The Way We Live Now |Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for bail (1 of 4)

bail ¹

/ (beɪl) law /

noun

a sum of money by which a person is bound to take responsibility for the appearance in court of another person or himself or herself, forfeited if the person fails to appear

the person or persons so binding themselves; surety

the system permitting release of a person from custody where such security has been taken he was released on bail

jump bail or formal forfeit bail to fail to appear in court to answer to a charge

stand bail or go bail to act as surety (for someone)

verb (tr)

(often foll by out) to release or obtain the release of (a person) from custody, security having been made

Word Origin for bail

C14: from Old French: custody, from baillier to hand over, from Latin bāiulāre to carry burdens, from bāiulus carrier, of obscure origin

British Dictionary definitions for bail (2 of 4)

bail ²

bale

/ (beɪl) /

verb

(often foll by out) to remove (water) from (a boat)

Derived forms of bail

bailer or baler, noun

Word Origin for bail

C13: from Old French baille bucket, from Latin bāiulus carrier

British Dictionary definitions for bail (3 of 4)

bail ³

/ (beɪl) /

noun

cricket either of two small wooden bars placed across the tops of the stumps to form the wicket

agriculture

a partition between stalls in a stable or barn, for horses
a portable dairy house built on wheels or skids

Australian and NZ a framework in a cowshed used to secure the head of a cow during milking

verb

See bail up

Word Origin for bail

C18: from Old French baile stake, fortification, probably from Latin baculum stick

British Dictionary definitions for bail (4 of 4)

bail ⁴

bale

/ (beɪl) /

noun

the semicircular handle of a kettle, bucket, etc

a semicircular support for a canopy

a movable bar on a typewriter that holds the paper against the platen

Word Origin for bail

C15: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse beygja to bend

Idioms and Phrases with bail

bail

In addition to the idiom beginning with bail

bail out

also see:

make bail
out on bail
skip bail

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bail

noun

verb (used with object)

Idioms for bail

Origin of bail

Words nearby bail

Definition for bail (2 of 4)

or bale

noun

Origin of bail

Definition for bail (3 of 4)

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of bail

Definition for bail (4 of 4)

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of bail

Words related to bail

Example sentences from the Web for bail

British Dictionary definitions for bail (1 of 4)

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for bail

British Dictionary definitions for bail (2 of 4)

bale

verb

Derived forms of bail

Word Origin for bail

British Dictionary definitions for bail (3 of 4)

noun

verb

Word Origin for bail

British Dictionary definitions for bail (4 of 4)

bale

noun

Word Origin for bail

Idioms and Phrases with bail