1 B2 neutral
(British English) To make an emergency exit from an aircraft by parachute.
"The fighter pilot had to bale out when his engine failed over the channel."
inseparable
bale out
B2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
British English spelling variant of 'bail out': to escape by parachute from an aircraft, or to rescue someone from difficulty.
In plain English
To jump out of a plane with a parachute in an emergency, or to help someone who is in big trouble.
What does "bale out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
(British English) To rescue a person or organisation from financial or serious trouble.
"The bank had to be baled out by the government to prevent total collapse."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Originally from 'bale' (a bundle), but in this usage it mirrors 'bail out' — removing danger or escaping.
Actually means
To jump out of a plane with a parachute in an emergency, or to help someone who is in big trouble.
Usage tip
In British English, 'bale out' is preferred over 'bail out' in aviation contexts. In financial or general rescue contexts, both spellings are used in British English. American English almost exclusively uses 'bail out.'
Words that pair with "bale out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
pilot aircraft emergency trouble company debt
How to conjugate "bale out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bale out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bales out
he/she/it
Past simple
baled out
yesterday
Past participle
baled out
have + pp
-ing form
baling out
continuous
Hear "bale out" in the wild
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Other ways to say "bale out"
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