Re: BAIL or BALE?


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Posted by John Nichols on December 12, 2003 at 15:30:51 from 165.91.196.181 user Mcneacail.

In Reply to: Re: BAIL or BALE? posted by John Nichols on December 12, 2003 at 15:26:36:

Apologies I got them the wrong way round in my haste and coffee induced haze.

OED says that bail is correct but that bale is also used as set out below. I always used bale.

bale
To lade or throw water out of a boat or ship with buckets (formerly called bails) or other vessels. Const. to bale the water out, bale the boat (out). to bale up: to scoop up. See BAIL v.4

[1627 CAPT. SMITH Seaman's Gram. vi. 27 To baile or cast out the water.] 1692 Ibid. I. xvi. 75 To Bale, to lade Water out of the Ships Hold with Buckets, or the like. 1748 ANSON Voy. III. v. 342 In baling out the water. 1833 MARRYAT Perc. Keene xvi, Let's bale the boat out first. 1884 Graphic 23 Aug. 190/2 Herrings..in such surprising quantities that they can be baled up with a basket.

BAIL
Now often less correctly BALE, q.v. To lade or throw water out of a boat, etc., with buckets (formerly called bails), pails, basins, or other vessels. a. To bail the water (out).

1613 PURCHAS Pilgr. IX. xiv. 911 They bailed and pumped two thousand tuns and yet were ten foot deepe. 1622 R. HAWKINS Voy. S. Sea 226 In clearing and bayling the water. 1624 CAPT. SMITH Virginia v. 174 Buckets..to baile out the water. 1829 MARRYAT F. Mildmay xi, One [man] to bail the water out.

b. To bail the boat (out).

1840 R. DANA Bef. Mast xviii. 50 By the help of a small bucket and our hats we bailed her out. 1841 CATLIN N. Amer. Ind. (1844) II. xlviii. 111 Ladles to bail them out.

c. absol.

1624 CAPT. SMITH Virginia v. 174 Bailing and pumping three daies and three nights without intermission. 1682 SIR J. BERRY in Lond. Gaz. No. 1720/7 Still working with the Pumps and Bailing, but to no purpose.




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