bail bond

American

noun

a formal document that gives bail for someone to be released from custody.

bail bond British

noun

a document in which a prisoner and one or more sureties guarantee that the prisoner will attend the court hearing of the charge against him if he is released on bail

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bail bond

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There’s no mystery about why big insurers like the bail bond industry.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2025

He put up his Los Angeles and Miami mansions for sale in a bid to secure the bail bond.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2024

District Judge Elizabeth Dillon noted in her decision that the company isn’t a licensed bail bond agent or a surety company certified by the U.S.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 2, 2024

Carroll led the push to eliminate the private bail bond system and the state invested heavily in teacher salaries and provided free textbooks.

From Washington Times • Dec. 10, 2023

He can only be liberated by a bail bond in the presence of the judge, sir.

From Roland Cashel Volume II (of II) by Lever, Charles James

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023