Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense bails, present participle bailing, past tense, past participle bailedlanguage note: The spelling bale is also used for meaning [sense 5], and for meanings , [sense 1] and , [sense 4] of the phrasal verb.
1. uncountable noun [oft onNOUN]
Bail is a sum of money that an arrested person or someone else puts forward as a guarantee that the arrested person will attend their trial in a law court. If the arrested person does not attend it, the money will be lost.
He was freed on bail pending an appeal.
The high court set bail at £8,000.
Synonyms: security, bond, guarantee, pledge More Synonyms of bail
2. uncountable noun
Bail is permission for an arrested person to be released after bail has been paid.
He was yesterday given bail by South Yorkshire magistrates.
3. verb [usually passive]
If someone is bailed, they are released while they are waiting for their trial, after paying an amount of money to the court.
He was bailed for probation reports. [beVERB-ed]
He was bailed to appear before local magistrates on 5 November. [beVERB-ed to-infinitive]
4. countable noun [usually plural]
In cricket, the bails are the two small pieces of wood that are laid across the top of the stumps to form the wicket.
5. verb
If you bail, you use a container to remove water from a boat or from a place which is flooded.
We kept her afloat for a couple of hours by bailing frantically. [VERB]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: scoop, empty, dip, ladle More Synonyms of bail
Bail out means the same as bail.
A crew was sent down the shaft to close it off and bail out all the water. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
The flood waters have receded since then, but residents are still bailing out. [VERBPARTICLE]
6.
See to jump bail
Phrasal verbs:
See bail out
bail in British English1
(beɪl) law
noun
1.
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
2.
the person or persons so binding themselves; surety
3.
the system permitting release of a person from custody where such security has been taken
he was released on bail
4. jump bail
5. stand bail
verb(transitive)
6. (often foll by out)
to release or obtain the release of (a person) from custody, security having beenmade
Word origin
C14: from Old French: custody, from baillier to hand over, from Latin bāiulāre to carry burdens, from bāiulus carrier, of obscure origin
bail in British English2
or bale (beɪl)
verb
(often foll by out)
to remove (water) from (a boat)
Derived forms
bailer (ˈbailer) or baler (ˈbaler)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French baille bucket, from Latin bāiulus carrier
bail in British English3
(beɪl)
noun
1. cricket
either of two small wooden bars placed across the tops of the stumps to form the wicket
2. agriculture
a.
a partition between stalls in a stable or barn, for horses
b.
a portable dairy house built on wheels or skids
3. Australian and New Zealand
a framework in a cowshed used to secure the head of a cow during milking
Word origin
C18: from Old French baile stake, fortification, probably from Latin baculum stick
bail in British English4
or bale (beɪl)
noun
1.
the semicircular handle of a kettle, bucket, etc
2.
a semicircular support for a canopy
3.
a movable bar on a typewriter that holds the paper against the platen
Word origin
C15: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse beygja to bend
bail in American English1
(beɪl)
noun
1.
money, a bond, etc. deposited with the court to obtain the temporary release of an arrested person on the assurance that the person will obey the court's orders, as by appearing for trial
2.
the release thus brought about
3.
the person or persons giving bail
verb transitive
4.
to deliver (goods) in trust for a special purpose
5.
to set (an arrested person) free on bail or have (an arrested person) set free by giving bail
often with out
6.
to help out of financial or other difficulty
often with out
Idioms:
go bail for
Word origin
ME & OFr, power, control, custody < OFr baillier, to keep in custody, deliver < L bajulare, to bear a burden < bajulus, porter, carrier
bail in American English2
(beɪl)
noun
1.
a bucket or scoop for dipping up water and removing it from a boat
verb intransitive, verb transitive
2.
to remove water from (a boat) as with a bail
3.
to dip out (water, etc.) as with a bail
Idioms:
bail out
Derived forms
bailer (ˈbailer)
noun
Word origin
ME & OFr baille, bucket < VL *bajula, vessel < bajulare: see bail1
bail in American English3
(beɪl)
noun
1.
a hoop-shaped support for holding up the cloth of a canopy, etc.
2.
a hoop-shaped handle for a bucket, kettle, etc.
3.
a bar on a typewriter to hold the paper against the platen
Word origin
ME beil < ON beygla < beygja, to bend, arch; ult. < IE base *bheugh- > bow1
bail in American English4
(beɪl)
noun
1. Chiefly British
a bar or pole to keep animals separate in a barn
2. Cricket
either of two sticks laid across the three stumps to form a wicket
Word origin
ME < OFr baile < ?
Examples of 'bail' in a sentence
bail
She was remanded in custody after being refused bail.
The Sun (2017)
No bail application was made during the short hearing.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The judge granted him bail but banned him from driving.
The Sun (2016)
All three were bailed to appear at Maidstone crown court next month.
The Sun (2016)
He got her to unblock it, claiming he had been arrested and needed money for bail.
The Sun (2016)
She was granted unconditional bail and a trial set for April.
The Sun (2016)
He denied fraud and conspiring to steal a motor vehicle at Southwark crown court and was bailed until February.
The Sun (2016)
On the day he was due to set off three of the crew bailed out for'personal reasons '.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There was no application for bail on his behalf.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
His parents refused to bail him out.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They were bailed until a court hearing next month.
The Sun (2013)
They were granted bail but told that all sentencing options remained open.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Instead the money will help bail out other trusts.
The Sun (2006)
The couple were bailed and will be sentenced next month.
The Sun (2012)
The player spent a week in jail before being bailed two weeks ago.
The Sun (2008)
Yesterday he was bailed to return to court next month.
The Sun (2015)
The defendant was released on bail until his trial next year.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Yesterday both were free on bail pending further inquiries.
The Sun (2013)
They were sentenced to a month in jail last month and bailed pending appeals.
The Sun (2010)
They are also seeking reform of the bail laws.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They were bailed to appear next month at crown court.
The Sun (2011)
There was no application for bail and no plea was entered.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The three other defendants remain on court bail.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They were granted bail but the judge warned them she was considering a prison sentence and fine.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The couple have been bailed pending further investigations after protesting their innocence.
The Sun (2012)
He had tried to secure bail but the court refused for fear that he might flee before he could be brought to trial.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Two crews bailed out and lived, while two airmen survived from a third plane.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He was refused bail and will return to the court in November.
The Sun (2013)
My bail is set for $10 million.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
One of them also skipped town after she had stumped up his 44,000 bail money.
The Sun (2016)
The animals, less than a week old, had their back legs secured with orange bailing string.
The Sun (2006)
In other languages
bail
British English: bail /beɪl/ NOUN
Bail is a sum of money that an arrested person or someone else puts forward as a guarantee that the arrested person will attend their trial in a law court. If the arrested person does not attend it, the money is lost.
He was freed on bail pending an appeal.
American English: bail
Arabic: كَفَالَة
Brazilian Portuguese: fiança
Chinese: 保释
Croatian: jamčevina
Czech: kauce
Danish: kaution
Dutch: borgsom
European Spanish: fianza
Finnish: takausmaksu
French: caution amende
German: Freilassung gegen Kaution
Greek: εγγύηση
Italian: cauzione
Japanese: 保釈金
Korean: 보석
Norwegian: kausjon
Polish: kaucja
European Portuguese: fiança
Romanian: cauțiune
Russian: залог
Latin American Spanish: fianza
Swedish: borgen
Thai: การประกันตัว
Turkish: kefalet
Ukrainian: застава
Vietnamese: tiền bảo lãnh
All related terms of 'bail'
bail up
to confine (a cow ) or (of a cow) to be confined by the head in a bail
go bail
to act as surety
bail bond
a surety bond (money or property) offered or deposited by a defendant or other persons to ensure the defendant's appearance at trial
bail out
If you bail someone out , you help them out of a difficult situation , often by giving them money .
cow bail
either of two small wooden bars placed across the tops of the stumps to form the wicket
jump bail
to fail to appear in court to answer to a charge
make bail
If someone who has been arrested makes bail , or if another person makes bail for them, the arrested person is released on bail.
bail bandit
a person who either commits a crime while on bail or who jumps bail and fails to appear in court
stand bail
to act as surety (for someone)
bail bondsman
an individual or firm that lends bail money to defendants awaiting trial
bail bondsmen
an individual or firm that lends bail money to defendants awaiting trial
go bail for
to furnish bail for
to jump bail
If a prisoner jumps bail , he or she does not come back for his or her trial after being released on bail.
surrender to bail
to present oneself at court at the appointed time after having been on bail
Chinese translation of 'bail'
bail
(beɪl)
n(u)
(Law)
(= payment) 保释(釋)金 (bǎoshìjīn) (笔, bǐ)
(= release) 保释(釋) (bǎoshì)
vt
[prisoner]准许(許)保释(釋) (zhǔnxǔ bǎoshì)
vi
(on boat) (also bail out) 舀出 (yǎochū)
grant bail (to)[prisoner]准许(許)保释(釋) (zhǔnxǔ bǎoshì)
on bail[prisoner]保释(釋)中 (bǎoshì zhōng)
to be released on bail被保释(釋) (bèi bǎoshì)
All related terms of 'bail'
on bail
( prisoner ) 保释(釋)中 bǎoshì zhōng
bail out
( prisoner ) 保释(釋) bǎoshì
to be released on bail
被保释(釋) bèi bǎoshì
to be remanded on bail
被保释(釋)候审(審) bèi bǎoshì hòushěn
grant bail (to)
( prisoner ) 准许(許)保释(釋) zhǔnxǔ bǎoshì
(noun)
Definition
a sum of money deposited with the court as security for a person's reappearance in court
He was freed on bail pending an appeal.
Synonyms
security
The banks will pledge the land as security.
bond
I'm not about to betray my bond with my brother.
guarantee
The goods were still under guarantee.
pledge
items held in pledge for loans
warranty
The equipment comes with a twelve-month warranty.
indemnity
They had failed to take out full indemnity cover.
surety
a surety of £2,500
guaranty
Phrasal verbs
See bail out
See bail something or someone out
(verb)
Definition
to remove water from (a boat)
We kept the boat afloat for a couple of hours by bailing frantically.
Synonyms
scoop
empty
dip
ladle
drain off
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bond
Definition
a written or spoken agreement, esp. a promise
I'm not about to betray my bond with my brother.
Synonyms
agreement,
word,
promise,
contract,
guarantee,
pledge,
obligation,
compact,
covenant
in the sense of guarantee
Definition
a formal assurance in writing that a product or service will meet certain standards or specifications