leg bail
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Escape from custody by running away.
Register: dated, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
the bail or security given by absence. To give LEG BAIL is to run away.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “leg bail” mean?
Escape from custody by running away.
Is “leg bail” formal or informal?
leg bail is generally dated, slang.