(law) a security entered into before a court with a condition to perform some act required by law; on failure to perform that act a sum is forfeited

a guarantee or a promise that an individual will turn up in court for the prosecution of any case concerning him or her

A legal document which required an individual to perform an obligation, or pay a large penalty if they failed to do so. Usually the obligation was to appear in court; sometimes it was to be of good behaviour for a specified period of time.