bail (one) out of jail

bail (one) out of jail

To pay for one's release from jail. I have to go bail my brother out of jail again. I wonder what he did this time. Bailing my son out of jail was the low point of the year. Can you believe that Mom and Dad wouldn't bail me out of jail? They left me there overnight!

See also: bail, jail, of, out

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

bail someone out of jail

 and bail someone out 

1. Lit. to deposit a sum of money that allows someone to get out of jail while waiting for a trial. John was in jail. I had to go down to the police station to bail him out. I need some cash to bail out a friend!

2. Fig. to help someone who is having difficulties. When my brother went broke, I had to bail him out with a loan.

See also: bail, jail, of, out

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.