Recognizance (noun)

1. A legally binding agreement to do or not do a specific thing, usually with the condition that failure to do so may result in a penalty or legal consequence.
2. A bond or security given by a person, usually in the form of a sum of money, to ensure that they will appear in court when required or will fulfill some other obligation.

Origin:

From middle english recognisance, from anglo-norman reconoissance, from old french reconoissance, from latin recognitio, from recognoscere ("to acknowledge"), from re- ("again") + cognoscere ("to know").

Examples:

1. The accused was released on recognizance without bail.
2. He signed a recognizance to guarantee that he would not leave the country before the trial.
3. She posted a recognizance to secure her attendance in court.
4. The recognizance was a commitment to pay a large sum of money if he failed to comply with the court's order.
5. The judge released the defendant on his own recognizance after he promised to appear in court.