bondsman
1 Americannoun
-
bondsmen
plural
noun
-
bondsmen
plural
noun
-
law a person bound by bond to act as surety for another
-
another word for bondservant
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bondsman1
1725–35; bond's man man of the bond, i.e., its signer; see bond 1, 's 1, man
Origin of bondsman2
First recorded in 1250–1300, bondsman is from the Middle English word bondesman. See bond 2, 's 1, man
Explanation
A bondsman is a person or company that loans money to bail someone out of jail while their case is being tried. The word bondsman was historically used to mean "enslaved person," or "man in bondage." Today, it's someone whose job involves issuing loans to defendants who must pay bail to get out of jail. Bail bondsmen are illegal in nearly every country except the U.S. — profiting from the bail system, as bondsmen do, is widely viewed as unethical. As well as loaning money, bondsmen are often responsible for tracking down defendants who fail to repay their loans.
Vocabulary lists containing bondsman
"Let America Be America Again"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from Readings 4, Unit 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary from Readings 3, Unit 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
“Why should a church have to become a bail bondsman to bond out its constituents, its citizens, its parishioners?” said Democratic Rep. Tanya Miller.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 21, 2024
The letters written by the other two defendants to plead guilty - Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis and bail bondsman Scott Hall - were longer and more specific.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 14, 2023
Powell, Ellis, Chesebro and bail bondsman Scott Hall were required to give on-camera statements to prosecutors as part of their plea deals.
From Salon ● Nov. 15, 2023
She joins fellow lawyers Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, as well as the bail bondsman Scott Hall, in taking a deal.
From New York Times ● Oct. 25, 2023
The bondsman confirmed that he had received it and that the bond had been paid.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
He convinced a judge to reduce the protesters’ bail to $15,000, then went to bail bondsmen he knew to cut a deal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2024
Nguyen’s former boss, Dave Gambale, testified that bondsmen are “not responsible for the behavior” of the people they help release from jail.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 31, 2022
In most states, commercial bail bondsmen and the bounty hunters they hire are an integral part of the justice system.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 11, 2019
Most bail bondsmen can be found a couple of blocks away from the main jailhouse.
From Encyclopedia.com ● Sep. 19, 2018
And local bondsmen such as Maurice Ryles and Warren King, both of whom lived on my street, assumed responsibility for a number of people who couldn’t afford to get out.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
