bail

noun
UK: /beɪl/
US: /beɪl/

  1. Money given to a court to allow someone to be freed from jail until their trial.

    1. His family paid his bail. [ ] [ ]
    2. The judge set bail at $10,000, a figure his lawyer deemed excessive considering his client's financial constraints. [ ] [ ]

  2. The temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, usually on condition that a sum of money is lodged to guarantee their appearance in court.

    1. She was released on bail. [ ] [ ]
    2. The suspect was granted bail despite strong objections from the prosecution who feared he might flee the country. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

aid surety security abandon rescue bond quit help release
bail verb

  1. To empty water from a boat using a container.

    1. Bail the water out! [ ] [ ]
    2. They had to bail furiously to keep the boat afloat after hitting a submerged object. [ ] [ ]

  2. To get released from jail after providing bail.

    1. He was bailed out yesterday. [ ] [ ]
    2. She was able to bail her brother out of jail after borrowing money from several relatives. [ ] [ ]

  3. To abandon or withdraw from something that has become difficult or unpleasant.

    1. I had to bail from the project. [ ] [ ]
    2. Seeing the company was failing, the investors decided to bail out before losing any more money. [ ] [ ]
bail transitive-verb

  1. To assist someone in getting out of a difficult situation, often involving financial help or intervention.

    1. I bailed him out of debt. [ ] [ ]
    2. My parents had to bail me out when I spent all my money before the end of the month. [ ] [ ]
bail intransitive-verb

  1. To empty water from a boat by scooping it out.

    1. We had to bail constantly. [ ] [ ]
    2. During the storm, the sailors bailed continuously to prevent the ship from sinking. [ ] [ ]

  2. To jump out of an aircraft with a parachute because of an emergency.

    1. The pilot had to bail out. [ ] [ ]
    2. The pilot was forced to bail out when the plane's engine caught fire mid-flight over enemy territory. [ ] [ ]
bail transitive-verb

  1. To release or secure the release of a defendant.

    1. The judge agreed to bail him. [ ] [ ]
    2. They will bail him when they arrive with money and documents tomorrow. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "bail" in English means: Money given to a court to allow someone to be freed from jail until their trial., The temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, usually on condition that a sum of money is lodged to guarantee their appearance in court..

The phonetic transcription of "bail" is /beɪl/ in British English and /beɪl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "bail": aid, surety, security, abandon, rescue, bond, quit, help, release.

Example usage of "bail": "His family paid his bail.". More examples on the page.