leach

¹ American  

[leech] / litʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to dissolve out soluble constituents from (ashes, soil, etc.) by percolation.

2. to cause (water or other liquid) to percolate through something.

---

verb (used without object)

1. (of ashes, soil, etc.) to undergo the action of percolating water.

2. to percolate, as water.

noun

1. the act or process of leaching.

2. a product or solution obtained by leaching; leachate.

3. the material leached.

4. a vessel for use in leaching.

leach ² American  

[leech] / litʃ /

noun

Nautical.

1. leech.

---

leach ¹ British  

/ liːtʃ /

verb

1. to remove or be removed from a substance by a percolating liquid

2. to lose or cause to lose soluble substances by the action of a percolating liquid

3. another word for percolate percolate

---

noun

1. the act or process of leaching

2. a substance that is leached or the constituents removed by leaching

3. a porous vessel for leaching

Leach ² British  

/ liːtʃ /

noun

1. Bernard ( Howell ). 1887–1979, British potter, born in Hong Kong

---

leach ³ British  

/ liːtʃ /

noun

1. a variant spelling of leech 2

---

Other Word Forms

• leachability noun
• leachable adjective
• leacher noun
• unleached adjective

Etymology

Origin of leach

1425–75; late Middle English leche leachate, infusion, probably Old English *læc ( e ), *lec ( e ), akin to leccan to wet, moisten, causative of leak

Example Sentences

It had the right type of rock, a heap leach pad and solvent-extraction electrowinning plant, where the copper dripping in solution from the ore is plated on cathodes.

From The Wall Street Journal

These values indicate that only a small portion of the total contaminants actually leaches out under conditions mimicking oral contact.

From Science Daily

Audience trust is leaching away fast and Brits are increasingly refusing to pay up.

From The Wall Street Journal

That makes them significantly better at leaching copper from ore than conventional methods using acids, which often only capture up to half of the metal contained in the rock, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal

High in phosphorus, it can become a problem when excess nutrients from animal manure leaches into rivers and groundwater.

From BBC