bail
/beɪl/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.01 in modern English
6
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "He was granted bail for £20000."
- "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."
- "The Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution forbids excessive bail, and state bail laws are usually designed to prevent discrimination in setting bail."
- "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."
- "The bail of a canoe […] made of a human skull."
- "Silly Faunus now within their baile."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: baille, -, bāiulō, beyle, bīeġels
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /beɪl/
- British English: /beɪl/