Baignoire, bān′war, n. a box at the theatre on a level with the stalls. [Orig. = 'bathing-box,' Fr. baigner, to bathe.]
Bail, bāl, n. one who procures the release of an accused person by becoming guardian or security for his appearing in court: the security given: (Spens.) jurisdiction.—v.t. to set a person free by giving security for him: to release on the security of another.—adj. Bail′able.—ns. Bail′-bond, a bond given by a prisoner and his surety upon being bailed; Bail′-dock, Bale′-dock, a room at the Old Bailey, London, in which prisoners were kept during the trials; Bailee′, one to whom goods are delivered in trust upon a contract; Bail′er, one who delivers goods to another in trust; Bail′ment, a delivery of goods in trust: the action of bailing a prisoner; Bails′man, one who gives bail for another.—To accept, admit to, allow bail, are all said of the magistrate; the prisoner offers, surrenders to his bail; the one who provides it goes, gives, or stands bail.—To give leg bail, to be beholden to one's legs for escape. [O. Fr. bail, jurisdiction—baillier, to control, deliver. Primarily implying 'custody' or 'charge,' the word became associated with Norm. Fr. bailler, to deliver—L. bajulus.]
Bail, bāl, v.t. (rare) to confine.—To bail up (Australia), to secure a cow's head during milking: to disarm travellers so as to be able to rob them without resistance. [Prob. conn. with the preceding word.]
Bail, bāl, n. palisades, barriers: a pole separating horses in an open stable. [M. E.—O. Fr. baile, perh. from baillier, to enclose. Others suggest a derivation from L. baculum, a stick.]
Bail, bāl, n. one of the cross pieces on the top of the wicket in cricket.—n. Bail′er, a ball bowled so as to hit the bails. [Prob. conn. with the preceding word.]
Bail, bāl, v.t. to clear (a boat) of water with bails or shallow buckets.—n. a man or instrument for bailing water out of a ship, pit, &c.—Also spelled Bale. [Fr. baille, a bucket, perh. from Low L. bacula, dim. of baca.]
Bailey, bāl′i, n. the outer court of a feudal castle: either of the two courts formed by the spaces between the circuits of walls, hence Outer and Inner Bailey.—The Old Bailey in London, the Central Criminal Court, from the ancient bailey between Lud Gate and New Gate. [Fr. baille, from Low L. ballium.]
Bailie, bāl′i, n. a municipal officer in Scotland corresponding to an English alderman: (obs.) a sheriff's officer; but cf. Scotch Wat′er-bail′ies, constables employed to carry out the Tweed Fisheries Acts: (obs.) the chief magistrate of a Scottish barony or part of a county, with functions like a sheriff's. [O. Fr. bailli, land-steward, officer of justice. See Bailiff.]
Bailiff, bāl′if, n. formerly any king's officer, e.g. sheriffs, mayors, &c., but applied specially to the chief officer of a hundred, still the title of the chief magistrate of various towns (e.g. High-bailiff of Westminster, cf. Bailiff of Dover Castle, also the bailly or first civil officer of the Channel Islands: a sheriff's officer: an agent or land-steward.—n. Bail′iwick, the jurisdiction of a bailiff. [O. Fr. baillif—Low L. bajulivus—bajalus, carrier, administrator. See Bail.]
Bairam, bī′ram, n. the name of two Mohammedan festivals—the Lesser Bairam lasting three days, after the feast of Ramadan, and the Greater Bairam seventy days later, lasting four days. [Pers.]