Bail — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈbāl/

Meaning & Definition of Bail

Bail (noun)

  1. a container used to remove water from a boat
  2. the temporary release of a prisoner in exchange for security given for the prisoner's appearance at a later hearing
  3. security given for the release of a prisoner on bail
  4. one who provides bail
  5. a U-shaped strip used to support something (such as the cover of a wagon or the canopy of a small boat)
  6. a hinged bar for holding paper against the platen of a typewriter
  7. a usually arched handle (as of a kettle or pail)
  8. a device for confining or separating animals

Bail (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
  3. bail out
  4. to temporarily release (a prisoner) in exchange for security given for appearance at a later hearing, to release under bail
  5. to procure the release of by giving bail —often used with out
  6. to help from a predicament —used with out
  7. to deliver (personal property) in trust to another for a special purpose and for a limited period

Bail (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in bond, recognizance

    similar: bond, recognizance, gage, guarantee, guaranty, pawn, pledge, security, deposit, down payment, earnest, handsel, surety, warranty, assurance, oath, troth, word, commitment, compact, contract, covenant

  2. as in loop, bow

    similar: bow, loop, bar, handlebar, hilt, shaft, grip, haft, handgrip, handle, helve, crop, whipstock, broomstick

  3. as in hod

    similar: hod, canteen, flagon, jar, jug, pitcher, tank, tub, vat, cauldron, kettle, pot, holder, receptacle, vessel, bucket, pail

Bail (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to leave a place often for another

    "after two hours of that boring party, we were ready to bail"

    similar: bail out, begone, book (slang), bug off, bug out, bugger off (British slang), buzz (off), clear off (chiefly British), clear out, cut out, depart, dig out, exit, get, get off, go, go off, move, pack (up or off), part, peel off, pike (out or off), pull out, push off, push on, quit, run along, sally (forth), scarper (British), shove (off), step (along), take off, vamoose, walk out, beat it, hit the road, pull stakes, take a hike, take a powder
    related: set out, start, strike out, abscond, decamp, escape, evacuate, flee, fly, get out, mizzle (chiefly British), run away, scat, scram, skip, go out, light out, step out, abandon, desert, forsake, vacate, emigrate, adjourn, remove, retire, retreat, withdraw
    opposite: arrive, come, show up, turn up
    near: abide, dwell, lodge, remain, settle, stay, tarry, approach, close, near, hit, land, reach

Related Entry: Bale (noun)

Bale is a different word from Bail. The synonyms below are for bale, not for bail.

  1. a large amount of a material (such as hay or wool) that is pressed together tightly and often tied or wrapped

    "a bale of cotton/paper"

    similar: bundle, pack, package, packet, parcel, shipment, burden, cargo, draft, freight, haul, lading, load, loading, payload, weight, consignment, boatload, carload, shipload, trainload, truckload, wagonload, ballast, deadweight, overload, surcharge, manifest, body, bulk, mass

Related Entry: Bail out (verb)

Bail out is a different word from Bail. The synonyms below are for bail out, not for bail.

  1. to leave a place often for another

    "if the meeting seems like it will never end, find an excuse to bail out"

    similar: bail, begone, book (slang), bug off, bug out, bugger off (British slang), buzz (off), clear off (chiefly British), clear out, cut out, depart, dig out, exit, get, get off, go, go off, move, pack (up or off), part, peel off, pike (out or off), pull out, push off, push on, quit, run along, sally (forth), scarper (British), shove (off), step (along), take off, vamoose, walk out, beat it, hit the road, pull stakes, take a hike, take a powder
    related: set out, start, strike out, abscond, decamp, escape, evacuate, flee, fly, get out, mizzle (chiefly British), run away, scat, scram, skip, go out, light out, step out, abandon, desert, forsake, vacate, emigrate, adjourn, remove, retire, retreat, withdraw
    opposite: arrive, come, show up, turn up
    near: abide, dwell, lodge, remain, settle, stay, tarry, approach, close, near, hit, land, reach

  2. to remove from danger or harm

    "the government bailed out the savings and loan industry"

    similar: bring off, deliver, rescue, save
    related: salvage, emancipate, free, liberate, manumit, release, disentangle, extricate, recover
    opposite: adventure, compromise, endanger, gamble (with), hazard, imperil, jeopardize, peril, risk, venture

Related Entry: Jump (verb)

Jump is a different word from Bail. The synonyms below are for jump, not for bail.

  1. to propel oneself upward or forward into the air

    "jumped across the ditch"

    similar: bound, hop, leap, spring, vault
    related: bounce, hurdle, leapfrog, lope, skip, buck, caper, capriole, cavort, frolic, gambol, romp, attack, pounce, shoot, skyrocket

  2. to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise)

    "the sudden appearance of a mouse scurrying across the floor made me jump"

    similar: bolt, start, startle
    related: jerk, jolt, twitch, blench, cringe, flinch, quail, recoil, shrink, spook, squinch, wince, bound, leap, spring, react, respond

  3. to proceed or move quickly

    "when I tell you to do something, I expect you to jump"

    similar: barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, run, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom, beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it
    related: beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle, stampede, streak, whiz, gallop, jog, sprint, accelerate, quicken, step out, catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake, arrow, beeline
    opposite: crawl, creep, poke
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up)

Related Entry: Jump (on) (verb)

Jump (on) is a different word from Bail. The synonyms below are for jump (on), not for bail.

  1. to take sudden, violent action against

    "the robbers waited until he had passed by them and then jumped on him without warning"

    similar: assail, assault, attack, beset, bushwhack, charge, descend (on or upon), go in (on), pounce (on or upon), raid, rush, set on, sic, storm, strike, trash, turn (on), beat up on, fly at, go at, light into, pitch into, round on, set at, set upon, tear into
    related: bum-rush, gang up (on), mob, swarm, mug, rob, ambuscade, ambush, surprise, waylay, blitz, bomb, bombard, nuke, barrage, cannon, cannonade, bang away (at), batter, buffet, plaster, beleaguer, besiege, press, harry, loot, pillage, plunder, ravage, sack, foray, invade, overrun, envelop, flank
    near: cover, defend, guard, protect, secure, shield

  2. to criticize harshly and usually publicly

    "no need to jump on him just because he locked the keys in the car"

    similar: abuse, assail, attack, bash, belabor, blast, castigate, excoriate, lambaste, potshot, savage, scathe, slam, trash, vituperate, beat up on, light into, sail into, tie into
    related: berate, harangue, harass, harry, revile, scold, whip, blaspheme, curse, execrate, imprecate, profane, affront, insult, slur, asperse, bad-mouth, belittle, blackguard, disparage, put down, libel, slander, traduce, vilify, chastise, chide, criticize, lace (into), rebuke, reprimand, fulminate, lash (out)
    near: acclaim, commend, compliment, hail, laud, praise

Related Entry: Surrender (noun)

Surrender is a different word from Bail. The synonyms below are for surrender, not for bail.

  1. the usually forced yielding of one's person or possessions to the control of another

    "the police demanded the surrender of all hostages as a condition for allowing the hijackers safe passage out of the country"

    similar: capitulating, capitulation, cession, handover, relinquishment, rendition, submission, submitting
    related: acceptance, acquiescence, concession, compromise, appeasement, conciliation, reconcilement, reconciliation, capture, fall
    near: resistance

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bail

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bail:

Slang: book
British slang: bugger off
Chiefly British: clear off
British: scarper
bond, recognizance, gage, guarantee, guaranty, pawn, pledge, security, deposit, down payment, earnest, handsel, surety, warranty, assurance, oath, troth, word, commitment, compact, contract, covenant, bow, loop, bar, handlebar, hilt, shaft, grip, haft, handgrip, handle, helve, crop, whipstock, broomstick, hod, canteen, flagon, jar

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Bail

Words with the opposite meaning of Bail:

arrive, come, show up, turn up

Related Words for Bail

set out, start, strike out, abscond, decamp, escape, evacuate, flee, fly, get out, mizzle, run away, scat, scram, skip, go out, light out, step out, abandon, desert, forsake, vacate, emigrate, adjourn, remove, retire, retreat, withdraw

Near Antonyms of Bail

abide, dwell, lodge, remain, settle, stay, tarry, approach, close, near, hit, land, reach

Word Forms of Bail

Inflections: bailed, bailing, bails

Derived words: bailable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Bail

Middle English baille, from Anglo-French, bucket, from Medieval Latin bajula water vessel, from feminine of Latin bajulus porter, carrier

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Bail

Words & Phrases Containing Bail

bail out

Frequently Asked Questions about Bail

What does "Bail" mean?

"Bail" means a container used to remove water from a boat. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a container used to remove water from a boat. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bail"?

Other words for "Bail" include bond, recognizance, gage, guarantee, guaranty, pawn, pledge and security. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bail" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bail"?

There are 120 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bail". Common alternatives include bond, recognizance, gage, guarantee, guaranty, pawn, pledge, security, deposit and down payment.

What is the opposite of "Bail"?

Antonyms of "Bail" include arrive, come, show up and turn up. Near antonyms include abide, dwell, lodge and remain.

How do you use "Bail" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bail" in a sentence: "after two hours of that boring party, we were ready to bail".

Is "Bail" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Bail" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Bail" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Bail" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Bail"?

"Bail" is pronounced /ˈbāl/.