Meaning

noun (criminal law) money that must be forfeited by the bondsman if an accused person fails to appear in court for trial

noun the legal system that allows an accused person to be temporarily released from custody (usually on condition that a sum of money guarantees their appearance at trial)

verb release after a security has been paid

originFrom 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).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0