leach

¹

[leech]

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

[leech]

noun

Nautical.

1. leech.

leach

¹

/ 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

/ liːtʃ /

noun

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

leach

³

/ liːtʃ /

noun

1. a variant spelling of leech 2

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of leach¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of leach¹

C17: variant of obsolete letch to wet, perhaps from Old English leccan to water; related to _leak

Example Sentences

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

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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.

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

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A carbon water filter can also reduce potential exposure to chemicals and pesticides that may have leached into your water.

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This unusual imbalance suggested that liquid water had once seeped through the rocks, effectively leaching lutetium out of them.

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