bail

Money promised or paid so an arrested person can leave prison while waiting for trial.

• The judge set bail at five thousand dollars.
• Her family posted bail that evening.
• He was released on bail while police investigated.

How to use it: on bail (He is out on bail until his trial.)

Common phrases: on bail, post bail, grant bail, bail money

A bucket or scoop used to remove water from a boat.

• Pass me the bail, please.
• He used a wooden bail to empty the boat.
• Water kept rising because our bail was too small.

Similar words: bailer, scoop, bucket

Common phrases: wooden bail, use a bail, boat bail

To leave suddenly, especially to avoid danger or an unpleasant situation.

• The party was boring, so we bailed.
• She bailed on us just before the trip.
• The pilot bailed out when the engine caught fire.

How to use it: bail on someone/something (He bailed on our dinner plans at the last minute.); bail out of something (The pilot had to bail out of the burning plane.)

Similar words: leave, quit, pull out

Opposites: stay

Common phrases: bail on someone, bail out, bail early

To pay or promise money so an arrested person can leave prison before their trial.

• Can you bail him out?
• Her parents bailed her out after the arrest.
• We had to borrow money to bail our friend out of jail.

How to use it: bail someone out of something (His sister bailed him out of jail.)

Common phrases: bail someone out, bail someone

To give someone your property to keep temporarily, while you remain its owner.

• The merchant bailed the goods to a carrier.
• She bailed her jewelry to the bank for safekeeping.
• The contract covers property bailed to the warehouse operator.

How to use it: bail something to someone (The owner bailed the goods to a carrier for delivery.)

Similar words: entrust, deposit

Common phrases: bail goods, bail property, bail something to someone