bailouts
|bail-out|
/ˈbeɪlaʊt/
(bailout)
emergency rescue (often financial)
Etymology
'bailout' originates from English, specifically formed from the phrasal verb 'bail out' (bail + out); 'bail' ultimately comes from Old French 'baillier' meaning 'to hand over/manage', and 'out' comes from Old English 'ūt' meaning 'out'.
'bail' changed from Old French 'baillier' and Middle English forms (e.g. 'baillen'/'bailen') into the English verb 'bail'; the phrasal verb 'bail out' developed and the compound noun 'bailout' emerged in modern English (20th century) to denote a rescue, especially a financial one.
Initially, 'bail' meant 'to hand over or deliver'; it later came to mean 'to secure release by paying money' and then was extended metaphorically to mean 'to rescue financially', giving rise to the modern noun 'bailout' meaning 'financial rescue'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
financial rescues in which a government, institution, or other party provides money or guarantees to prevent the failure of a company, bank, or economy.
During the crisis, several bailouts were announced to stabilize the banking sector.
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Noun 2
payments or arrangements made to secure someone's release from jail (plural of 'bailout' in the sense of paying bail).
There were reports of multiple bailouts paid to free the suspects while they awaited trial.
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Last updated: 2026/01/02 00:24