# bail

> English word · Noun · IPA /beɪl/ · frequency rank #6,988

## Definitions
1. Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial.
2. Release from imprisonment on payment of such money.
3. The person providing such payment.
4. A bucket or scoop used for removing water from a boat etc.
5. A person who bails water out of a boat.
6. Custody; keeping.

## Etymology
From Middle English baille, from the Old French verb bailler (“to deliver or hand over”) and noun bail (“lease”), from Latin bāiulāre (“carry or bear”), from baiulus (“porter; steward”) (English: bailiff).

## Easily confused with
- **bi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bi)
- **BL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bl)
- **big** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-big)
- **bit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bit)
- **bar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bar)
- **bay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bay)
- **ban** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-ban)
- **BID** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bid)
- **bat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bat)
- **bin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bin)
- **bio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bio)
- **bam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bam)
- **BMI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bmi)
- **bel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bel)
- **Boi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-boi)
- **bis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bis)
- **biz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-biz)
- **Bas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bas)
- **bal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bal)
- **bao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-bao)

## Common misspellings (4)
`abil`, `baill`, `bbail`, `bial`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bail