transitive verb

1. to cause (a liquid) to filter down through some material
2. to subject to the washing action of a filtering liquid wood ashes are leached to extract lye
3. to extract (a soluble substance) from some material by causing water to filter down through the material lye is leached from wood ashes

Etymology: prob. < OE leccan, to water, irrigate, orig. a caus. form of base akin to ON leka: see leak

intransitive verb

1. to lose soluble matter as a result of the filtering through of water soil that has leached badly
2. to dissolve and be washed away

noun

1. the action of leaching
2. a sievelike container used in leaching
3. leachate