make bail

make bail

To have enough money to pay as a security that allows one to be released from prison until one appears in court before their trial. Thankfully I was able to make bail, because having to spend three months in jail just to try and prove I'm innocent would be horrible.
See also: bail, make
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

make bail

Put up security as an assurance that someone released from prison will appear for trial, as in He didn't think he could make bail for his brother. The use of bail for "security" was first recorded in 1495.
See also: bail, make
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

make bail

To secure enough money or property to pay the amount of one's bail.
See also: bail, make
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • drive (one) out of office
  • force (one) out of office
  • force out of office
  • give (one) (one's) head
  • give head
  • give somebody their head
  • give someone their head
  • cooking for one
  • 1FTR
  • at one go
References in periodicals archive
people's ability to make bail and how the use of money bail
Of people who did make bail, almost all did so by going to a bail
A new Massachusetts law will soon enable sheriffs to recommend that the court place pretrial detainees unable to make bail in pretrial service programs.
Delaware requires judicial review of pretrial release conditions within 10 days of detention, if the person is unable to make bail within 72 hours.
(92) Though the Seventh Circuit posits that the Eighth Amendment protects from incarceration before conviction, (93) judges still have the discretion to make bail unaffordable as long as the amount is reasonable.
with money or other liquid assets will he most able to make bail,
are more likely to actually make bail. This analysis is limited to bail
And the poor man who cannot make bail and the man who makes bail, all alike and setting the bail--how much do you set?
Generally speaking, the more serious the offence the less likely it is the suspect will make bail.
What is the source of those funds for him to make bail? There's something wrong with the system."
Similarly, prosecutors generally make bail arguments based solely on the charging documents and the past criminal record of the accused.