bail out

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New2grammar

#498050 Tue, 08 Apr 08 01:38 PM

A: Eric was losing the audience. If I hadn't been for me, we would have lost the challenge.

B: Yes, you totally bailed him out.

It seems like the meaning of bail out in this context is to save someone. There's another meaning that I know of, that is 'to quit' - he bailed out on his friends at the last minute. So, it has contradicting meanings and the context determines which the intended meaning is, am I right?

Thanks in advance!

New2grammar

Joined on Tue, Nov 21 2006

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Grammar Geek

#498053 Tue, 08 Apr 08 01:44 PM

I can think of three meanings for "bail out."

1. When you get someone out of jail by posting their bail money. That would be the metaphorical meaning in this dialogue - you got him out of trouble.

2. When you jump out of an airplane or other vessel because it's in trouble. That would be the metaphorical meaning of abandoning your friends - jumping ship.

3. When you empty water out of a boat. (That doesn't apply here, but it's the metaphorical use when they talk about a government bail-out of the financial markets - they are taking care of what would otherwise be sinking them.)