1. a legal obligation entered into before a court requiring a person to appear at a specified time or to keep the peace
Usage: legal
2. acknowledgment or recognition of something
Usage: formal; archaic

Examples

• The defendant was released on his own recognizance pending trial.
• She was freed on personal recognizance after posting bail.
• The judge allowed him to leave on recognizance with a promise to appear in court.
• Personal recognizance bonds are common for minor offenses.
• The court accepted his recognizance that he would not contact the victim.
• He gave recognizance of the debt before the magistrate.