See Also: bail(6)(dictionary)
bail(encyclopedia)
bail(7)(dictionary)
bail-out(dictionary)
bail(5)(dictionary)
bail(4)(dictionary)
bail(3)(dictionary)
bail(2)(dictionary)
bail(1)(dictionary)
bail(medicine)

bail(2) (iou)



bail noun1. ME.
[Old French bail, bail(l)e power, custody, jurisdiction, delivery, from baillier take charge of, receive, hand over, deliver from Latin bajulare bear a burden, manage, from bajulus carrier. Senses 2-5 are peculiarly English, and their development is uncertain.]
Custody, charge, jurisdiction. ME-L16.
Spenser Faunus, now within their baile.
The friendly custody of a person otherwise liable to be kept in prison, upon security given for his or her appearance at a time and place assigned. LME-E19.
Temporary delivery or release of a prisoner who provides security to appear for trial. LME.
Security given for the release of a prisoner awaiting trial. L15.
The person(s) acting as surety (now only by financial guarantee) for a prisoner's appearance for trial. L16.
Shakespeare 2 Henry VI The sons of York..Shall be their father's bail. G. Greene He ought to be brought before a magistrate...I will stand bail for any reasonable amount. fig.: Thackeray Ye'll spend it like a man of spiritI'll go bail for that.
Phrases: admit to bail allow to be released on bail. deny bail = refuse bail below. forfeit bail, forfeit one's bail: by failing to appear for trial after release on bail. give leg bail: see LEG noun. grant bail allow the prisoner to be released on bail. hold to bail: see HOLD verb. jump bail colloq. fail to appear for trial after release on bail. justify bail: see JUSTIFY verb 6. on bail (with permission to be temporarily released from custody) on provision of security to appear for trial. refuse bail not allow the prisoner to be released on bail. surrender to one's bail, surrender to bail: see SURRENDER verb 1d.
Comb.: bail-bond the bond or security entered into by a bail; bail bondsman = bailsman below; bail-jumper colloq. a person who fails to appear for trial after release on bail; bail-jumping colloq. failure to appear for trial after release on bail; bailsman a person who gives bail for another.