Bail Meaning
/beɪl/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounSecurity, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial.
nounRelease from imprisonment on payment of such money.
Sentence Examples
Tom is arranging bail.
It's so typical of him to bail out at the last minute.
Can anyone put up bail for you?
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
After being arrested, his family paid the ____ to secure his release from jail.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The suspect was released on ____ while he awaited his court date.
Word Origin & History
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).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I ſuppoſe vve ſhall hardly Rehearſe the Comedy this Morning; for the Author vvas Arreſted as he vvas going home from King's Coffee-houſe; and, as I heard, it vvas for upvvards of Four Pound: I ſuppoſe he vvill hardly get Bail."
— 1736 March 16 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Henry Fielding, Pasquin. A Dramatick Satire on the Times: […], London: […] J. Watts […], published 1736, →OCLC, Act I, page 1:
"The Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution forbids excessive bail, and state bail laws are usually designed to prevent discrimination in setting bail."
— 2009, George Cole with Christopher Smith, The American System of Criminal Justice, International Edition, page 338:
"The purpose of bail is to ensure the return of the accused at subsequent proceedings. If the accused is unable to make bail, he or she is detained in jail."
— 2011, Larry J. Siegel, Criminology, page 658:
"The bail of a canoe […] made of a human skull."
— 1770, James Cook, Voyages Round the World:
"Silly Faunus now within their baile."
— 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book VII, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
After being arrested, his family paid the ____ to secure his release from jail.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The suspect was released on ____ while he awaited his court date.