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Meaning & use

bail

noun, verb·Academiclegallaw

Last updated

UK/beɪl/
US/beɪl/

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    Money that a court requires an accused person to pay so they can leave jail until their trial.

    Grammar: Usually uncountable: you pay bail, not 'a bail'. It can be countable in phrases like 'set bail at $10,000'.

    Patterns

    • pay bail
    • set bail at something
    • be released on bail

    The judge set bail at $50,000, which he could not afford.

    She was released on bail and must appear in court next month.

    After paying bail, he returned home to wait for his trial.

  2. verbtransitiveinformal

    To pay money so that an accused person can leave jail until their trial; usually followed by 'out'.

    Grammar: Takes an object: bail someone out. The object usually comes after 'out'.

    Patterns

    • bail someone out
    • bail someone out of jail

    His family bailed him out of jail the next morning.

    Can you bail me out? I don't have enough money for the bail.

    She was bailed out by a friend who posted the money.

  3. verbtransitiveinformalfigurative

    To rescue someone from a difficult situation, especially by giving money; used with 'out'.

    Grammar: Takes an object: bail someone out. Often used for financial help.

    Patterns

    • bail someone out
    • bail out a company

    The government bailed out the failing bank.

    My parents had to bail me out when I lost my job.

    He's always bailing his brother out of trouble.

  4. verbtransitive or intransitivetechnical

    To remove water from a boat by scooping it out with a container.

    Grammar: Can be used with or without an object: bail (out) the boat.

    Patterns

    • bail out a boat
    • bail water out of something

    We had to bail out the boat after the storm.

    Water was coming in fast, so they took turns bailing.

    He used a bucket to bail the water from the sinking dinghy.

Word forms

third person singularbails
past tensebailed
past participlebailed
-ing formbailing

Common combinations

on bail
He is currently on bail awaiting trial.
post bail
She posted bail and was released within hours.
bail hearing
The bail hearing will decide whether he stays in jail.
bail bond
A bail bond is a promise to pay if the accused doesn't return.
bail someone out
His uncle bailed him out of jail.

Synonyms and how they differ

bond
A bond is a written promise to pay bail, often used in the US; bail is the money itself.
security
Security is a more formal legal term for money or property promised to a court.

Word family

bailment noun
The legal act of delivering goods to someone temporarily.
bailor noun
A person who temporarily gives property to another.
bailee noun
A person who receives property temporarily.

Commonly confused: bail or bale?

bail vs bale

Bale is a large bundle of hay or straw, or to jump out of a plane; bail is about money for release or removing water.

Practice

The judge agreed to release him ______ bail of $10,000.

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