verb
bail
To scoop water out of a boat or container.
The sailor uses a bucket to bail water from the leaking boat.
Etymology
Old French baille named a bucket. The container’s name became a verb for using such a vessel to remove water, especially water that has collected inside a boat.
More examples
- We bailed until the floorboards were visible again.
- One person steered while the other kept bailing.
- She bails the dinghy after every heavy rain.
Forms
bail · bails · bailed · bailing