leak

[leek]

noun

1. an unintended hole, crack, or the like, through which liquid, gas, light, etc., enters or escapes.

   a leak in the roof.

2. an act or instance of leaking.

3. any means of unintended entrance or escape.

4. Electricity.,  the loss of current from a conductor, usually resulting from poor insulation.

5. a disclosure of secret, especially official, information, as to the news media, by an unnamed source.

verb (used without object)

1. to let a liquid, gas, light, etc., enter or escape, as through an unintended hole or crack.

   The boat leaks.

2. to pass in or out in this manner, as liquid, gas, or light.

   gas leaking from a pipe.

3. to become known unintentionally (usually followed byout ).

   The news leaked out.

4. to disclose secret, especially official, information anonymously, as to the news media.

   The official revealed that he had leaked to the press in the hope of saving his own reputation.

verb (used with object)

1. to let (liquid, gas, light, etc.) enter or escape.

   This camera leaks light.

2. to allow to become known, as information given out covertly.

   to leak the news of the ambassador's visit.

leak

/ liːk /

noun

1. 1. a crack, hole, etc, that allows the accidental escape or entrance of fluid, light, etc

   2. such escaping or entering fluid, light, etc

2. to develop a leak

3. something resembling this in effect

   a leak in the defence system

4. the loss of current from an electrical conductor because of faulty insulation, etc

5. a disclosure, often intentional, of secret information

6. the act or an instance of leaking

7. a slang word for urination See urination

verb

1. to enter or escape or allow to enter or escape through a crack, hole, etc

2. to disclose (secret information), often intentionally, or (of secret information) to be disclosed

3. (intr) a slang word for urinate

Other Word Forms

• leaker noun
• leakless adjective
• nonleaking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of leak¹

1375–1425; 1955–60 leak for def. 11; late Middle English leken < Old Norse leka to drip, leak; akin to Dutch lek, obsolete German lech leaky. See leach ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of leak¹

C15: from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse leka to drip

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. take a leak, to urinate.

Example Sentences

The charges allege that Comey lied to Congress in September 2020 when he stood by earlier testimony that he did not authorize a leak of an FBI investigation involving Hillary Clinton.

Read more on Salon

Asahi has not confirmed the nature of the attack on its operations but has said data suspected to have been leaked in the hack had been found on the internet.

Read more on BBC

Bonta said in March that his office launched its investigation after it reviewed leaked footage of one of the incidents.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

So even if market participants were acting on leaked information about the Nobel decision, it is unclear that such trades would be illegal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Any suggestion that I have ever shared or leaked information to the media is categorically false,” she said in a statement.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• discharge 
• disclose 
• divulge 
• escape 
• ooze 
• pass on 
• reveal 
• spill 
• trickle