
IdiomDaily Life
English
bail someone out
Meaning: To rescue someone from trouble, especially by paying.
Example: “His sister bailed him out when the rent came due.”
Origin: Two images meet here: posting bail to get someone out of jail, and bailing water out of a sinking boat. The phrase became common in the 20th century, especially for financial rescues.
Equivalents in other languages
Spanish: sacar las castañas del fuego Literally: To pull the chestnuts out of the fire
Italian: cavare le castagne dal fuoco Literally: To pull the chestnuts from the fire
More English idioms
- get out of hand To become impossible to control.
- come what may Whatever happens.
- bang one's head against a brick wall To keep trying something with no result.
- have a whale of a time To enjoy oneself enormously.
- get off on the right foot To make a good start.
- turn one's back on someone To abandon or refuse to help someone.
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Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
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