The phrase "to bail out" means to rescue or save someone from a difficult situation. It can also refer to an act of releasing something, such as water from a container, by opening a valve or removing a plug. In its most common usage, however, the term refers to financial assistance provided by a government or other institution to help prevent the failure of a business or organization that is in danger of going bankrupt. This can involve providing loans, grants, or guarantees to keep the entity afloat until it can recover on its own. The phrase "bail out" has also come to be used more broadly to refer to any kind of rescue effort, whether financial or not, such as a person being rescued from a dangerous situation by emergency services.