leak

leak (lēk)

intransitive verb

to let a fluid substance out or in accidentally the boats leaks
to enter, or escape accidentally from, an object or container: often with in or out
to become known little by little, by accident, carelessness, or treachery the truth leaked out

Etymology: ME leken < ON leka, to drip < IE base *leg-, to drip, trickle, lack, OIr legaim, (I) dissolve, Welsh llaith, damp

transitive verb

to permit (water, air, light, radiation, etc.) to pass accidentally in or out; allow to leak
to allow (secret or confidential information) to become known

noun

an accidental hole or crack that lets something out or in
any means of escape for something that ought not to be let out, lost, etc.
the fact of leaking; leakage
a disclosure of secret or confidential information; specif., an ostensibly accidental disclosure by a government official to the news media, actually intended to produce an effect
1. a loss of electrical current through faulty insulation
2. the point or path where this occurs
Slang the act of urinating: usually in the phrase take a leak

Loss through leakage
leakage, loss, flow, seepage, drop, escape, outgoing, incoming, detriment, short circuit, falling off, destruction, expenditure, decrease; see also waste 1.
An aperture through which a leak may take place
puncture, chink, crevice; see hole 1.
Surreptitious news
news leak, exposure, slip; see advertisement 1, news 1.

To escape by leaking
drip, ooze, drool; see flow 2.
To permit leakage
be cracked, be broken, be split, have a fissure, have a hole, be out of order, be in disrepair, permit wastage, have a slow leak.

Object

memo: Details of the schemes emerged in a leaked memo last night, causing anger among MPs.
gutter: Check for leaks - a leaking gutter is a common cause of rotting frames in a wooden greenhouse.
pipe: A leaking pipe inside your property is usually fairly noticeable.
roof: They have repaired leaking roofs, brought toilets inside.
aneurysm: DANGER POINTS IN THE OPERATION All patients with leaking aneurysms are actively dying.

Converse of object

fix: Paul from Foxton Boats came to fix the oil leak, which turned out to be a fuel leak.
plug: When plugging leaks, the ultimate aim is to stop the leak permanently.
spring: The Red Vic is the only place where I've heard the phrase " Quick, The Aquarium restroom's sprung a leak!
detect: The major question is why the pilots did not detect the fuel leak earlier than they did.

Preposition: into

bloodstream: All leaked into the bloodstream surrounding the tooth " .

Adjective modifier

anastomotic: All anastomotic leaks were minor and were managed non-operatively with nutritional support.
suspected: Two factory workers have died after apparantly being overcome by fumes in a suspected chemical leak in an engineering factory.

Modifies a noun

detection: A description of different methods of leak detection is provided.
detector: Using the Garbage Collector as Leak Detector The garbage collector may be used as a leak detector.

Noun used with modifier

helium: In brief, because the helium leaks out, they shrink, and become heavier than the volume of air they displace.
gas: What to do in the event of a gas leak.
memory: Otherwise, there'll be memory leaks whenever an image load fails.
oil: An oil leak at the back of the diff.
radiation: And how many were killed in the radiation leak?

Preposition: like

sieve: The information once in the hands of the US will leak like a sieve.

Browse dictionary entries near leak