Adjacent Words

Bail definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BAIL
, v.t.
1. To set free, deliver, or liberate from arrest and imprisonment, upon security given that the person bailed shall appear and answer in court. The word is applied to the magistrate, or the surety. The magistrate bails a man, when he liberates him from arrest or imprisonment, upon bond given with sureties. The surety bails a person, when he procures his release from arrest, by giving bond for his appearance.
2. To deliver goods in trust, upon a contract, expressed or implied, that the trust shall be faithfully executed on the part of the bailee or person entrusted; as, to bail cloth to a tailor to be made into a garment, or to bail goods to a carrier.
3. To free from water, as to bail a boat. This word is improperly written bale. The word is probably the same as bail in law, to free, or liberate, and signifies to throw out water, as with a bucket or shovel.
BAIL, n. The person or persons who procure the release of a prisoner from custody, by becoming surety for his appearance in court.
The bail must be real substantial bondsmen.
B and B were bail to the arrest in a suit at law.
Bail is not used with a plural termination.
2. The security given for the release of a prisoner from custody; as, the man is out upon bail.
Excessive bail ought not to be required.
Bail is common or special. Common bail are imaginary persons, who are pledges for the plaintiff's prosecution; as John Doe and Richard Roe.
Special bail must be men of real substance, sufficient to pay their bond or recognizance. To perfect or justify bail is to prove by the oath of the person that he is worth the sum for which he is surety beyond his debts. To admit to bail, is to release upon security given by bondsmen.
3. The handle of a kettle or other vessel.
4. In England, a certain limit within a forest.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: (criminal law) money that must be forfeited by the bondsman if an accused person fails to appear in court for trial; "the judge set bail at $10,000"; "a $10,000 bond was furnished by an alderman" [syn: bail, bail bond, bond]
2: the legal system that allows an accused person to be temporarily released from custody (usually on condition that a sum of money guarantees their appearance at trial); "he is out on bail" v
1: release after a security has been paid
2: deliver something in trust to somebody for a special purpose and for a limited period
3: secure the release of (someone) by providing security
4: empty (a vessel) by bailing
5: remove (water) from a vessel with a container

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English baille, from Anglo-French, bucket, from Medieval Latin bajula water vessel, from feminine of Latin bajulus porter, carrier Date: 14th century a container used to remove water from a boat II. verb Date: 1613 transitive verb 1. to clear (water) from a boat by dipping and throwing over the side — usually used with out 2. to clear water from by dipping and throwing — usually used with out intransitive verb bail out 2 <bailed when things got hard> • bailer noun III. noun Etymology: Middle English, custody, bail, from Anglo-French, literally, handing over, delivery, from baillier to give, entrust, hand over, from Latin bajulare to carry a burden, from bajulus porter, carrier Date: 15th century 1. the temporary release of a prisoner in exchange for security given for the due appearance of the prisoner 2. security given for the release of a prisoner on bail 3. one who provides bail IV. transitive verb Date: 1548 1. to release under bail 2. to procure the release of by giving bail — often used with out 3. to help from a predicament — used with out <bailing out impoverished countries> • bailable adjective V. noun Etymology: Middle English beil, baile, probably from Old English *begel, *bygel; akin to Middle Dutch beughel iron ring, hilt guard; akin to Old English b?gan to bend — more at bow Date: 15th century 1. a. a supporting half hoop b. a hinged bar for holding paper against the platen of a typewriter 2. a usually arched handle (as of a kettle or pail) VI. transitive verb Etymology: Anglo-French baillier Date: 1768 to deliver (personal property) in trust to another for a special purpose and for a limited period VII. noun Etymology: perhaps from ⁵bail Date: 1844 chiefly British a device for confining or separating animals

Britannica Concise

Temporary release of a prisoner in exchange for security given to guarantee the prisoner's appearance at a later hearing. It also refers to the actual security given (e.g., cash). Its main use today is to secure the freedom, pending trial, of someone arrested and charged with a criminal offense. Its use in civil (noncriminal) cases is far less common, as most do not involve imprisonment. The amount of bail is generally set in relation to the gravity of the offense, though other factors, such as the strength of the evidence, the character of the accused, and the accused's ability to secure bail may also be considered. See also bond, recognizance.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. & v. --n. 1 money etc. required as security against the temporary release of a prisoner pending trial. 2 a person or persons giving such security. --v.tr. (usu. foll. by out) 1 release or secure the release of (a prisoner) on payment of bail. 2 (also bale by assoc. with bale out
1: see BALE(1)) release from a difficulty; come to the rescue of. Phrases and idioms: forfeit (colloq. jump) bail fail to appear for trial after being released on bail. go (or stand) bail (often foll. by for) act as surety (for an accused person). Derivatives: bailable adj. Etymology: ME f. OF bail custody, bailler take charge of, f. L bajulare bear a burden 2. n. & v. --n. 1 Cricket either of the two crosspieces bridging the stumps. 2 the bar on a typewriter holding the paper against the platen. 3 a bar separating horses in an open stable. 4 Austral. & NZ a framework for securing the head of a cow during milking. --v. Austral. & NZ (usu. foll. by up) 1 tr. secure (a cow) during milking. 2 a tr. make (a person) hold up his or her arms to be robbed. b intr. surrender by throwing up one's arms. c tr. buttonhole (a person). Etymology: ME f. OF bail(e), perh. f. bailler enclose 3. v.tr. (also bale) 1 (usu. foll. by out) scoop water out of (a boat etc.). 2 scoop (water etc.) out. Phrases and idioms: bail out var. of bale out 1 (see BALE(1)). Derivatives: bailer n. Etymology: obs. bail (n.) bucket f. F baille ult. f. L bajulus carrier

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bail Bail, n. [OE. beyl; cf. Dan. b["o]ile an bending, ring, hoop, Sw. b["o]gel, bygel, and Icel. beyla hump, swelling, akin to E. bow to bend.] 1. The arched handle of a kettle, pail, or similar vessel, usually movable. --Forby. 2. A half hoop for supporting the cover of a carrier's wagon, awning of a boat, etc.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bail Bail, n. [F. baille a bucket, pail; cf. LL. bacula, dim. of bacca a sort of vessel. Cf. Bac.] A bucket or scoop used in bailing water out of a boat. [Obs.] The bail of a canoe . . . made of a human skull. --Capt. Cook.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bail Bail, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bailed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bailing.] 1. To lade; to dip and throw; -- usually with out; as, to bail water out of a boat. Buckets . . . to bail out the water. --Capt. J. Smith. 2. To dip or lade water from; -- often with out to express completeness; as, to bail a boat. By the help of a small bucket and our hats we bailed her out. --R. H. Dana, Jr.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bail Bail, n. [OF. bail, baille. See Bailey.] 1. (Usually pl.) A line of palisades serving as an exterior defense. [Written also bayle.] [Obs.] 2. The outer wall of a feudal castle. Hence: The space inclosed by it; the outer court. --Holinshed. 3. A certain limit within a forest. [Eng.] 4. A division for the stalls of an open stable. 5. (Cricket) The top or cross piece ( or either of the two cross pieces) of the wicket.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bail Bail, n. [OF. bail guardian, administrator, fr. L. bajulus. See Bail to deliver.] 1. Custody; keeping. [Obs.] Silly Faunus now within their bail. --Spenser. 2. (Law) (a) The person or persons who procure the release of a prisoner from the custody of the officer, or from imprisonment, by becoming surely for his appearance in court. The bail must be real, substantial bondsmen. --Blackstone. A. and B. were bail to the arrest in a suit at law. --Kent. (b) The security given for the appearance of a prisoner in order to obtain his release from custody of the officer; as, the man is out on bail; to go bail for any one. Excessive bail ought not to be required. --Blackstone.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bail Bail, v.?t. [OF. bailler to give, to deliver, fr. L. bajulare to bear a burden, keep in custody, fr. bajulus ? who bears burdens.] 1. To deliver; to release. [Obs.] Ne none there was to rescue her, ne none to bail. --Spenser. 2. (Law) (a) To set free, or deliver from arrest, or out of custody, on the undertaking of some other person or persons that he or they will be responsible for the appearance, at a certain day and place, of the person bailed. Note: The word is applied to the magistrate or the surety. The magistrate bails (but admits to bail is commoner) a man when he liberates him from arrest or imprisonment upon bond given with sureties. The surety bails a person when he procures his release from arrest by giving bond for his appearance. --Blackstone. (b) To deliver, as goods in trust, for some special object or purpose, upon a contract, expressed or implied, that the trust shall be faithfully executed on the part of the bailee, or person intrusted; as, to bail cloth to a tailor to be made into a garment; to bail goods to a carrier. --Blackstone. Kent.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(bails, bailing, bailed) Note: The spelling 'bale' is also used for meaning 4, and for meanings 1 and 3 of the phrasal verb. 1. 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. N-UNCOUNT: oft on N 2. Bail is permission for an arrested person to be released after bail has been paid. He was yesterday given bail by South Yorkshire magistrates. N-UNCOUNT 3. 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... He was bailed to appear before local magistrates on 5 November. VERB: usu passive, be V-ed, be V-ed to-inf 4. 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: V, also V n • Bail out means the same as bail. A crew was sent down the shaft to close it off and bail out all the water... The flood waters have receded since then, but residents are still bailing out. PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V P 5. If a prisoner jumps bail, he or she does not come back for his or her trial after being released on bail. He had jumped bail last year while being tried on drug charges. PHRASE: V inflects

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Security, surety. 2. Handle (of a pail, etc.). II. v. a. Admit to bail.

Moby Thesaurus

arraignment, bond, bucket, charge, cup, decant, dip, dish, dish out, dish up, earnest, earnest money, escrow, fork, gage, guaranty, handsel, hock, hostage, impeachment, indictment, information, lade, ladle, mainprise, pawn, pignus, pledge, pour, presentment, recognizance, replevin, replevy, scoop, security, shovel, spade, spoon, surety, token payment, true bill, undertaking, vadimonium, vadium, warranty