bail

BAYL/beɪ(ə)l/

25 meanings of bail

1
nouncountable or uncountable
Money paid to a court so an arrested person can go free until their trial.
Like money you leave behind as a promise that you'll come back.
The judge set bail at five thousand dollars.
His family could not afford the bail, so he stayed in jail.
Similarbond, surety, security
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2
verbtransitive
To pay money so an arrested person can leave jail before trial.
Her brother agreed to bail her after the arrest.
They worked all night to bail their friend before the weekend.
3
verbslangintransitive
To leave a place suddenly, often without warning.
Like leaving a game in the middle to go home.
When the party got boring, we decided to bail.
He bailed as soon as the movie ended.
Similarsplit, bolt, leave, scram
Oppositestay
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4
verbcolloquialintransitive
To break a promise to someone, often at the last minute.
Like promising to come to a friend's party and then never showing up.
She said she'd help, then bailed at the last minute.
Don't bail on me again this weekend.
Similarflake, cancel
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5
verbtransitive or intransitive
To scoop water out of a boat to keep it from sinking.
Like scooping water out of a flooded boat with a cup.
We had to bail water fast before the canoe sank.
Two of us bailed while the others kept rowing.
Similarscoop
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6
verbtransitive
To empty a boat by scooping out the water inside it.
Like emptying a flooded boat one cupful at a time.
We had to bail the canoe before it filled completely.
He bailed the rowboat after the heavy rain.
Similarempty, drain, clear
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7
nounUKcountable or uncountable
Being let out of jail after the money a court asks for is paid.
He was let out on bail until the trial.
She spent two days in custody before being granted bail.
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8
nouncountable or uncountable
A bucket or scoop for taking water out of a boat.
He grabbed the bail and started scooping out the water.
Keep a bail in the boat in case it floods.
Similarscoop
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9
nouncountable
One of two small wooden pieces that rest on top of the stumps in cricket.
The fast ball knocked the bail off the stumps.
Both bails flew into the air as the wicket broke.
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10
nounUKcountable or uncountable
The person who pays money to a court so an arrested person can go free.
His uncle acted as bail so he could leave jail.
The court asked who would stand as bail for the young man.
Similarsurety, guarantor
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11
verbtransitive
To set a person free or let them go.
Like opening a cage to let a bird go free.
Only the king could bail the prisoners from the tower.
They begged the lord to bail the captured men.
Similarfree, release, deliver, liberate
Oppositeimprison, confine
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12
verbtransitive
To let an arrested person go free after bail is promised or paid.
The judge agreed to bail the suspect until the trial.
The court bailed her on the condition that she stay in town.
Similarrelease, free
Oppositeremand, detain
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13
nouncountable
The curved handle on top of a bucket or kettle.
She lifted the bucket by its metal bail.
The bail on the old kettle had rusted through.
Similarhandle, hoop
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14
verbtransitive
To give something you own to someone else to hold and keep safe for a while.
Like lending your bike to a friend to look after, knowing you'll get it back.
She decided to bail her bike to a friend while she was away.
You can bail your tools to the shop for safekeeping.
Similarentrust, consign, deposit
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15
nouncountable
A curved handle that hangs between two fixed points, used to pull open a drawer.
Like the curved handle on a bucket that you lift it by.
She gripped the small bail and slid the drawer open.
The old dresser had a brass bail on every drawer.
Similarhandle, pull
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16
nouncountable
A small loop or ring that joins a pendant to the chain of a necklace.
Like the small ring that connects a keychain to its keys.
She threaded the chain through the bail to hang the charm.
The pendant's bail was too small for the thick necklace.
17
nouncountable
A hinged bar that holds an animal still, or that holds paper on a typewriter.
Like a bar that swings down to hold something in place.
The farmer lowered the bail to keep the calf from moving.
She flipped the bail back to load a fresh sheet into the typewriter.
18
nouncountable
A stall where a cow or other animal is kept, often held in place with a curved hoop.
Like a small pen that keeps one cow in its own space.
The cow stood quietly in its bail waiting to be milked.
Each animal had its own bail in the long shed.
Similarstall
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19
nounAustraliaNew Zealandcountable
A frame that holds a cow still while it is milked or fed.
They guided the cow into the bail before milking began.
The bail kept the animal calm while it ate.
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20
verbAustraliaNew Zealandtransitivewith up
To stop and hold someone so you can rob them, or to trap a wild animal.
Like blocking someone's way so they can't get past you.
The robbers tried to bail the coach driver on the lonely road.
Hunters managed to bail the wild boar against the cliff.
Similarcorner, waylay, ambush
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21
verbAustraliaNew Zealandtransitive
To hold a cow still by putting its head through a frame so it can be milked.
My uncle showed me how to bail a cow on his farm in New Zealand.
The cows walk into the shed one at a time and wait to be bailed.
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22
verbtransitive
To hold a cow's head still while it is being milked.
He needed to bail the cow's head so it would stay still.
You must bail the animal before the milk flows.
23
nouncountable or uncountable
Someone whose job is to scoop water out of a boat.
Like the person whose job is to throw water out of a sinking boat.
The bail worked fast to empty the leaking boat.
Every crew needs a strong bail when the sea gets rough.
24
verbraretransitive
To keep someone or something shut inside a place.
The deep snow bailed us inside the cabin for three days.
Nurses bail sick children in a separate room so the illness won't spread.
Similarconfine, contain, restrict
25
nounobsoletecountable or uncountable
The act of keeping or looking after someone or something.
Silly Faunus now within their baile.
1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, baile means keeping or custody, so Faunus is now held by them.
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Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–2, 5–8, 10–12, 14, 23, 25

From Old French, from Latin words meaning to carry or a porter.

Meanings 3–4

A shortened form of "bail out," which comes from the same source as the other "bail."

Meanings 9, 13, 15–19, 22

From Old English bīeġels, formed from bīeġan plus -els.

Meanings 20–21, 24

From French baillier.