Etymology

bail

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Today it means: Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial. Full definition →

Middle English baille ← Latin bāiulāre
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bail · noun, verb1

  1. Latin · derived frombāiulāre“carry or bear”
  2. Middle English · inherited frombaille
  3. English todaybail

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).

bail · verb2

From a shortening of bail out, ultimately same as above.

bail · noun, verb3

  1. Old English · inherited frombīeġels
  2. Middle English · inherited frombeyle
  3. English todaybail

From Middle English beyle, from Old English bīeġels, from bīeġan + -els.

bail · verb4

  1. French · borrowed frombaillier
  2. French · borrowed frombaillier
  3. English todaybail

Borrowed from French baillier.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.