noun
Common
bail
bayl
Bail (noun) means a sum of money paid to secure someone's release from custody while they await trial. Example: “She was released on bail until her trial next month.”
noun
1
A sum of money paid to secure someone's release from custody while they await trial.
"She was released on bail until her trial next month."
"The judge set bail at ten thousand dollars."
"His family scraped together enough to post bail."
verb
1
To scoop water out of a boat.
"Grab a bucket and start bailing before the boat sinks!"
"We bailed water for an hour until the rain stopped."
"They took turns bailing out the leaking dinghy."
2
To leave abruptly or back out of a plan.
"Please don't bail on me again, because I really need your help."
"Half the group bailed when they heard it would be raining."
"He was supposed to come to the party but bailed at the last minute."
How to use bail
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost often refers to money paid for someone's release from jail, or the informal sense of ditching a plan or scooping water from a boat.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "bale," a bundled pack of hay or cotton — they sound identical but are unrelated words.
Common pairings
post bail
out on bail
bail someone out
bail on plans
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Word forms
- Plural
- bails
- Third person singular
- bails
- Past tense
- bailed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She was released on _____ until her trial next month.
Etymology
From Old French bail ("custody, lease") and the verb bailler ("to hand over"), from Latin baiulare ("to carry or bear").
Related words
Rhymes for bail
See all rhymes for bail →Frequently asked questions
What does “bail” mean?
The word “bail” means a sum of money paid to secure someone's release from custody while they await trial. In plain terms, most often refers to money paid for someone's release from jail, or the informal sense of ditching a plan or scooping water from a boat.
How do you pronounce “bail”?
“Bail” is pronounced bayl (/beɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “bail” in a sentence?
Here is “bail” used in a sentence: “The judge set bail at ten thousand dollars.”
What part of speech is “bail”?
Depending on how it is used, “bail” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “bail” come from?
The word “bail” comes from Latin. From Old French bail ("custody, lease") and the verb bailler ("to hand over"), from Latin baiulare ("to carry or bear").
Is “bail” a common word?
“Bail” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bail” have?
“Bail” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sum of money paid to secure someone's release from custody while they await trial.
What is the difference between bail and bale?
Bail covers the courtroom and boating senses: money paid to release someone awaiting trial, scooping water out of a boat, or informally abandoning a plan. A bale is a large bound bundle, as in a bale of hay or cotton. British English complicates things slightly by allowing 'bale out' as a variant for the water and aircraft senses, but the money sense is always bail.
What is the difference between bail and a bail bond?
Bail is the sum of money a court sets to secure a defendant's release while they await trial, and it is normally refundable if the person attends every court date. In American practice, a bail bond is an arrangement in which a bond agent posts that sum on the defendant's behalf in exchange for a non-refundable fee. In other words, bail is the amount itself; a bond is one way of paying it.
