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Re: Bail/balePosted by ESC on September 23, 2001 In Reply to: Re: Bale out posted by Gary Martin on September 23, 2001 : : A correction: Meaning given here is "To remove water from a boat. In military parlance this also means to escape from a damaged plane or other vehicle." : : That's the wrong "bale" for the phrase. It's "bail" when talking about bailing out water, or escaping a damaged plane or vehichle. A "bale" is a bundle of goods. To "bale" is to bundle, to make up a bale. : Glad that you like the site. : I can't completely agree with you about bale/bail. There are at least three meanings of bale/bail out: : - To remove water from a boat. Here I think you are right; the bucket used is a 'bail', so bail out is the correct spelling. Bale out is the usual but, as the OED says, "less correct" form that is commonly used in the UK. : - To jump out of an aircraft. Here I'm happy with 'bale out', the allusion being to throwing out a bundle or bale rather than decanting water. Again, the OED accepts the alternative of 'bail out', although is a bit snooty about it - "rare form, origin US". : - To pay to have someone released from bail. Naturally, this is 'bail out'. : : Nice site you have here, and very useful! : : Sharon Hoskinson The World Book Dictionary (Chicago, 1991) says: "bail - to throw (water) out of a boat, with a pail, a dipper, or any other container...Also, especially British, bale." So, it just another one of those little ways we do things differently. Another thing I've noticed, we in the U.S. do quotes and a quote within a quote the opposite way from the British. Don't we? "I heard the boy say, 'I'm going to the movies.'"
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