English Explanatory Dictionary

bail

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial.
  2. Release from imprisonment on payment of such money.
  3. The person providing such payment.
  4. A bucket or scoop used for removing water from a boat etc.
  5. A person who bails water out of a boat.
  6. Custody; keeping.
verb
  1. To secure the release of an arrested person by providing bail.
  2. To release a person under such guarantee.
  3. To hand over personal property to be held temporarily by another as a bailment.
  4. To remove (water) from a boat by scooping it out.
  5. To remove water from (a boat) by scooping it out.
  6. To set free; to deliver; to release.
verb
  1. To leave or exit abruptly.
  2. To fail to meet a commitment (to a person).
noun
  1. A hoop, ring or handle (especially of a kettle or bucket).
  2. A stall for a cow (or other animal) (usually tethered with a semi-circular hoop).
  3. A hinged bar as a restraint for animals, or on a typewriter.
  4. A frame to restrain a cow during milking or feeding.
  5. A hoop, ring, or other object used to connect a pendant to a necklace.
  6. One of the two wooden crosspieces that rest on top of the stumps to form a wicket.
  7. Normally curved handle suspended between sockets as a drawer pull. This may also be on a kettle or pail.
verb
  1. To secure the head of a cow during milking.
verb
  1. To confine.
  2. To secure (a cow) by placing its head in a bail for milking.
  3. To keep (a traveller) detained in order to rob them; to corner (a wild animal); loosely, to detain, hold up.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

bāl /beɪl/ en-us-bale.ogg en-au-bail.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Dev Jadiya-bail condition.wav

Word forms

bail bails bailing bailed

Etymology

From Middle English baille, from the Old French verb bailler (“to deliver or hand over”) and noun bail (“lease”), from Latin bāiulāre (“carry or bear”), from baiulus (“porter; steward”) (English: bailiff).

Related words

bailiff

Derived words

anticipatory bail bail bandit bail bond bail bondsman bail in bail-in bailjumping bail jumping bail on bail-out bail out on bail-piece bailpiece bailsman bail up go bail Jew bail jump bail jump one's bail leg bail no-bail no bail on bail out on bail straw bail wire bail bailable bailee bailer bailment bailor bail out bailout rebail unbailed
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
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