From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbailbail1 /beɪl/ ●○○ noun 1 SC[uncountable] money left with a court of law to make sure that a prisoner will return when their trial starts Carpenter is free on bail while he appeals his conviction. She was murdered by a man who was out on bail for rape. The three men were released on bail pending an appeal. He is not likely to be granted bail. Carter has been refused bail and will remain in custody. The judge ordered that Jones be held without bail. Why can’t you ask your father to put up bail for you? Two of the defendants jumped bail and fled to New York. Bail was set at $30,000.2 DSC[countable usually plural] one of the two small pieces of wood laid on top of the stumps in a game of cricketCOLLOCATIONSverbsbe released/freed on bail (=be allowed to stay out of prison if you pay or agree to do something)The men were questioned yesterday before being released on bail.be granted/given bailMagistrates adjourned the case until June 9 and Smith was granted bail.get bailHis wife says he hopes to get bail.be refused bailRelatively few defendants are refused bail.be held without bailHe was being held without bail pending another hearing.set bail (=say how much someone must pay to be allowed to stay out of prison)Judge Philip Moscone set bail at $2 million.post bail (also put up bail) (=pay an amount of money to be allowed to stay out of prison)He had to post bail of US$100,000 before he could fly home to Canada.jump bail (also skip bail British English) (=not return for your trial as you promised)He jumped bail and fled the country three days before he was to be sentenced.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + bailpolice bail (=when the police free someone before deciding whether to charge them with a crime)She was released on police bail.conditional/unconditional bail (=when there are conditions/no conditions attached to someone being allowed to go free)Both men were given unconditional bail and they left court without comment.
Examples from the Corpus
bail• All were allowed bail but court hearing was for Monday.• Brennan and Carlin were granted bail on condition that they keep away from witnesses and Nolan was granted unconditional bail.• Green is free on bail until his sentencing on June 27, when he faces up to 25 years in prison.• About a week after our arrival, we heard the good news that we would be allowed to leave on bail.• They say that it does not deal with the problem of people who persistently reoffend while on bail.• Three men were arrested on suspicion of causing violent disorder and were released on police bail.• The case was adjourned until June 26 and Dargue was released on unconditional bail.out on bail• His solicitor asked that he be allowed out on bail.• I got out on bail, I think it was my probation officer who rang up.• Grimes is out on bail and his attorney, Martin Goldberg, declined to comment Wednesday.• I gave a fake name, they let me out on bail.• Of those offences 24 were committed by five juveniles, who were still out on bail.bailbail2 verb 1 (also bail out American English, bale out British English) [intransitive] informal to escape from a situation that you do not want to be in anymore After ten years in the business, McArthur is baling out.2 [transitive] British English if someone is bailed, they are let out of prison to wait for their trial after they have left a sum of money with the court Dakers was bailed to appear at Durham Crown Court.Grammar Bail is usually passive in this meaning. → bail out→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
bail• The cops are coming! Let's bail!• He doesn't need his father to bail him out of trouble any more.• The eleven crew members managed to bail out, but by the time rescuers arrived, one had died.• Ways to end a discount include bailing out, by merging with an open-end fund, or liquidating.• It's widely known - because the unions have publicized it - that the Department is looking at bailing out Huerter Textiles.• More probably, the government will eventually have to bail the museum out.• They can bail you out of a lot of trouble.bailed to appear• He was bailed to appear at Durham Crown Court in December, 1981, but failed to appear.• They were bailed to appear before Liverpool magistrates next month, when they will face charges of gross indecency.• A sixteen year old girl was bailed to appear before police next week.• The 15-year-old has been bailed to appear before the court on May 27.• All were bailed to appear in court to face public order charges.From Longman Business Dictionarybailbail1 /beɪl/ noun [uncountable]LAW1when someone who has been accused of a crime is allowed to remain free until their court case starts, usually because an amount of money has been given to the court which the court will keep if the prisoner does not returnThe magistrates refused their application for bail.Six former members of staff have been arrested and released on bail while the inquiry continues.2the amount of money paid for bailBail was set at £100,000 each on condition that the defendants did not leave the country.3post bail to leave a sum of money with a court of law as bailIf a defendant can post bail and presents no threat to the community, he can await trial at home.bailbail2 verb → bail out→ See Verb tableOrigin bail1 (1300-1400) Old French “keeping someone as a prisoner”, from baillier “to deliver, keep as a prisoner”, from Medieval Latin bajulare “to control”, from Latin bajulus “someone who carries loads” bail2 1. (1600-1700) bail “container for liquids” ((15-19 centuries)), from Old French baille, from Medieval Latin bajula, from Latin bajulus ( → BAIL1); bail out 2. → BAIL1 