bail water

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bail water" is not correct in English; it should be "bail out water." You can use it when referring to the act of removing water from a boat or similar situation where water needs to be removed to prevent sinking.
Example: "During the storm, we had to bail out water from the boat to keep it afloat."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

But when he makes waves, it's his director of communications who has to bail water out of the boat.

The New York Times

The wailing children and adults, now out of the dinghy, attempting to bail water using tiny plastic bottles.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Hopefully the Palm Pre, and Palm's other upcoming handset, will quickly arive and help bail water before Sprint sinks anymore.

TechCrunch

At some points they had to bail water caused by a leak, and at another a man fell overboard, delaying their journey.

Wikipedia

In the past, Native Americans ate the flesh of horseshoe crabs, and used the tail spines as spear tips and the shells to bail water out of their canoes.

Wikipedia

So the question remains: At what moment does the treading-water-type mindset of keeping calm and playing on become equivalent to trying to bail water out of a sinking Titanic?

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

He seems to be bailing water.

The New York Times - Sports

For Mr. Powers, culling from these plentiful options can be "like bailing water from a sinking ship".

The New York Times

Once again, Father Lombardi was bailing water for all he was worth.

The New York Times

The flooded back room at The Dog Inn in Whalley, Lancashire, where customers have spent today bailing water.

Independent

I bailed water out of the basement once and last year, someone hit the front of the house with paint balls.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the removal of water, consider the context. "Pump out water" is suitable for mechanical removal, while "scoop out water" implies manual action.

Common error

A common mistake is to omit the word "out" from the phrase, resulting in the grammatically incorrect "bail water". Always remember to include "out" to maintain the correct meaning and idiomatic usage.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bail water" is intended as a verb phrase describing the action of removing water, often from a vessel to prevent it from sinking. However, according to Ludwig AI, it's grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "bail out water".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Wiki

29%

Science

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "bail water" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct and idiomatic expression is "bail out water", which means to remove water from a container, often a boat, to prevent it from sinking. While the uncorrected version is found in some sources, as noted by Ludwig, it's best to avoid it in favor of the grammatically sound "bail out water". Remember to include "out" for clarity and correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bail out water

Adding "out" makes the phrase grammatically correct and idiomatic, emphasizing the act of removing water.

bailing water

This is the gerund form of the phrase when 'out' is omitted. 'Bailing water' is grammatically incorrect, though not as severe.

remove water

This is a more literal and less idiomatic way of saying the same thing.

empty water

Similar to "remove water", but implies completely emptying a container of water.

drain water

Suggests using a drain or outlet to remove the water, rather than manual removal.

pump out water

Implies using a pump to remove water, especially from a flooded area.

clear water

Focuses on the result of removing water, implying that something is being cleared or freed from water.

scoop out water

Emphasizes the method of removing water using a scooping action.

deal with an emergency

Focuses on the result of removing water, implying that something is being cleared or freed from water.

address a crisis

Focuses on the result of removing water, implying that something is being cleared or freed from water.

FAQs

Is it correct to say "bail water"?

No, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "bail out water". The inclusion of "out" clarifies the act of removing water.

What does "bail out water" mean?

It means to remove water from a boat or other container, typically to prevent it from sinking or overflowing. It can also be used metaphorically to describe addressing a crisis.

Can I use "bail water" in a sentence?

While some instances of "bail water" exist, it is best to use "bail out water" for grammatical accuracy. For example, "They had to bail out water from the boat to keep it afloat."

What are some alternatives to "bail out water"?

Alternatives include "remove water", "empty water", or, depending on the context, "address a crisis".