Leak Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 5, 2024
A leak is the escape of a substance through a hole or crack, or the act of confidential information being made public. e.g., They found a water leak in the pipe under the sink.
Table of Contents
Leak Definitions
Plumbing: The escape of water or gas from pipes or containers due to a breach.
The plumber fixed the leak in the bathroom.
Confidential Information: Unauthorized disclosure of secret or private information.
A significant document leak exposed sensitive government data.
Technology and Security: Unauthorized release of digital data or software.
A security leak led to the exposure of users' personal information.
News and Media: The release of unpublished information to the public through the media.
The press reported on a major news leak about the upcoming legislation.
Integrity and Trust: Erosion of trust due to the spread of confidential information.
The team's morale was low after a leak of internal emails.
Roofing: Water penetration through a damaged area in a roof.
Heavy rain caused a leak in the attic.
Automotive: Escape of oil, fuel, or coolant from a vehicle due to a malfunction.
The mechanic detected an oil leak during the inspection.
Environmental: Unintended release of pollutants into the environment.
A chemical leak contaminated the local river.
Containers: Loss of contents from containers, such as bottles or tanks.
There was a leak in the water bottle inside my bag.
Air and Gas: The escape of air or gas from sealed environments.
They discovered a gas leak in the kitchen.
To permit the escape, entry, or passage of something through a breach or flaw
Rusted pipes that were beginning to leak.
A boat leaking at the seams.
To escape or pass through a breach or flaw
Helium leaking slowly from the balloon.
To become publicly known through a breach of secrecy
The news has leaked.
To permit (a substance) to escape or pass through a breach or flaw
A damaged reactor leaking radioactivity into the atmosphere.
To disclose without authorization or official sanction
Leaked classified information to a reporter.
A crack or flaw that permits something to escape from or enter a container or conduit
Fixed the leak in the roof.
The act or instance of leaking.
An amount leaked
Equipment used in cleaning up oil leaks.
An unauthorized or a deliberate disclosure of confidential information
"Sometimes we can't respond to stories based on leaks" (Ronald Reagan).
Loss of electric current as a result of faulty insulation.
The path or place at which this loss takes place.
A crack, crevice, fissure, or hole which admits water or other fluid, or lets it escape.
A leak in a roof
A leak in a boat
A leak in a gas pipe
The entrance or escape of a fluid through a crack, fissure, or other aperture.
The leak gained on the ship's pumps.
The babies' diapers had big leaks.
A divulgation, or disclosure, of information previously held secret.
The leaks by Chelsea Manning showed the secrets of the US military.
The person through whom such divulgation, or disclosure, occurs.
The press must have learned about the plan through a leak.
A loss of electricity through imperfect insulation, or the point where it occurs.
(computing) The gradual loss of a system resource caused by failure to deallocate previously reserved portions.
Resource leak
Memory leak
An act of urination.
I have to take a leak.
(ambitransitive) To allow fluid or gas to pass through an opening that should be sealed.
The wells are believed to have been leaking oil for decades, long after the operating company ceased to exist.
The faucet has been leaking since last month.
(intransitive) (of a fluid or gas) To pass through an opening that should be sealed.
No one realized that propane gas was leaking from a rusty tank in the concession area, slowly filling the unventilated room.
(ambitransitive) To disclose secret information surreptitiously or anonymously.
Someone must have leaked it to our competitors that the new product will be out soon.
To pass through when it would normally or preferably be blocked.
To allow anything through that would normally or preferably be blocked.
To urinate.
I had to leak in the woods since there were no toilets around.
To bleed.
He shanked him, now he's leaking.
(obsolete) Leaky.
A crack, crevice, fissure, or hole which admits water or other fluid, or lets it escape; as, a leak in a roof; a leak in a boat; a leak in a gas pipe.
The entrance or escape of a fluid through a crack, fissure, or other aperture; as, the leak gained on the ship's pumps.
A loss of electricity through imperfect insulation; also, the point at which such loss occurs.
An act of urinating; - used mostly in the phrase take a leak, i. e. to urinate.
The disclosure of information that is expected to be kept confidential; as, leaks by the White House staff infuriated Nixon; leaks by the Special Prosecutor were criticized as illegal.
Leaky.
To let water or other fluid in or out through a hole, crevice, etc.; as, the cask leaks; the roof leaks; the boat leaks.
To enter or escape, as a fluid, through a hole, crevice, etc.; to pass gradually into, or out of, something; - usually with in or out.
An accidental hole that allows something (fluid or light etc.) to enter or escape;
One of the tires developed a leak
Soft watery rot in fruits and vegetables caused by fungi
A euphemism for urination;
He had to take a leak
The unwanted discharge of a fluid from some container;
They tried to stop the escape of gas from the damaged pipe
He had to clean up the leak
Unauthorized (especially deliberate) disclosure of confidential information
Tell anonymously;
The news were leaked to the paper
Be leaked;
The news leaked out despite his secrecy
Enter or escape as through a hole or crack or fissure;
Water leaked out of the can into the backpack
Gas leaked into the basement
Have an opening that allows light or substances to enter or go out;
The container leaked gasoline
The roof leaks badly
Leak Snonyms
Drip
To let liquid fall in drops.
The faucet continued to drip even after being tightly closed.
Escape
To break free from confinement or control.
The gas leak was caused by gas escaping from a small hole in the pipe.
Ooze
To slowly discharge a fluid through a porous surface or opening.
Mud oozed onto the sidewalk from the overwatered lawn.
Spill
To flow or fall out of a container, usually by accident.
She spilled coffee on the table while reaching for the newspaper.
Seep
To flow or pass slowly through small openings in something.
Water began to seep through the cracks in the basement wall.
Exude
To discharge (moisture or a smell) slowly and steadily.
The old walls exude a damp smell that fills the air.
Squirt
To eject liquid in a thin stream through a narrow opening.
He accidentally squirted water across the room when trying to fix the pipe.
Percolate
To filter gradually through a porous surface or substance.
Rainwater percolates through the soil, replenishing groundwater.
Discharge
To release or allow to flow out.
The factory was fined for discharging waste into the river.
Bleed
To lose or emit a liquid, especially blood, from the body.
Ink bled through the paper, ruining the drawing.
Leak Idioms & Phrases
Leak like a sieve
To allow something, especially information or secrets, to escape or be lost easily.
The organization's security protocols were inadequate; confidential data was leaking like a sieve.
Spring a leak
To suddenly start leaking liquid.
The old water tank finally sprung a leak, flooding the basement.
Information leak
An unauthorized release of confidential information.
The company was scrambling to manage the fallout from the recent information leak.
Fix the leak
To repair a leak in a container or system.
It took hours to find and fix the leak in the pipeline.
Leak to the press
To secretly provide information to journalists or media outlets.
Someone in the department must have leaked the report to the press.
Leak out
For information to become known publicly, especially without the consent of the holder.
Details of the upcoming product launch leaked out despite efforts to keep them under wraps.
Leak-proof
Designed to prevent any leaks from occurring.
She only buys leak-proof travel mugs after one too many spills in her bag.
Leak detection
The process of finding a leak in a system, often using specialized equipment.
Leak detection in the water system helped prevent a major outage.
Plug the leak
To stop information from being disclosed or to stop the flow of liquid.
The government moved quickly to plug the leak of sensitive diplomatic cables.
Take a leak
Slang for urinating.
Excuse me, I need to take a leak before we leave.
Leak across
To spread or transfer through unintended paths.
The dye leaked across the fabric, ruining the pattern.
Leak through
For liquid or information to pass through small openings or barriers.
Rainwater leaked through the damaged roof during the storm.
Gas leak
The escape of gas through an unintended opening, posing a risk of explosion or poisoning.
The entire building was evacuated due to a suspected gas leak.
Oil leak
The escape of oil from a vehicle or container, often leading to environmental pollution.
The mechanic found an oil leak during the car's routine maintenance check.
Slow leak
A leak that releases liquid or gas gradually over time.
The tire wasn't flat but had a slow leak that eventually needed repair.
Leak down
For a gas or liquid to decrease in quantity due to a leak.
The helium balloons leaked down overnight and were on the floor by morning.
Water leak
The escape of water through a break or hole in a container or pipe.
The plumber was called in to address the water leak under the sink.
Security leak
The unauthorized disclosure of classified or sensitive information.
The agency was embarrassed by the security leak and promised a thorough investigation.
Leak into
For liquid or gas to enter something where it is not supposed to be.
Contaminated water leaked into the clean supply, prompting a health alert.
Pressure leak
A leak where pressurized gas or liquid escapes from a containment system.
The pressure leak in the hydraulic system caused the machinery to stop working.
Leak Example Sentences
I heard the sound of a leak dripping in the night.
A small leak can lead to a big waste of water over time.
They had to evacuate the building because of a gas leak.
News of the product launch leaked before the official announcement.
Finding the source of the water leak took hours.
To prevent leaks, all pipes should be regularly checked.
Detecting a gas leak early can prevent disasters.
The leak from the tank was polluting the soil.
The leak of confidential emails caused a scandal.
The leak in the ceiling got worse every time it rained.
The investigation aimed to find the source of the information leak.
The whistleblower was responsible for the leak of classified documents.
The company took immediate action to contain the data leak.
Repairing a roof leak quickly can avoid further damage to the house.
A leak in the dam prompted emergency repairs.
Common Curiosities
How is leak used in a sentence?
"The plumber fixed the pipe to stop the water leak."
What is the verb form of leak?
The verb form is "leak," as in "to leak information" or "the pipe leaks water."
What is the root word of leak?
The root word of leak is from the Old Norse "leka," meaning to leak or drip.
What is the first form of leak?
The first form (base form) is "leak."
What is the pronunciation of leak?
The pronunciation of leak is /liːk/.
How do we divide leak into syllables?
Since leak has only one syllable, it is not divided.
What is the singular form of leak?
The singular form is "leak."
Why is it called leak?
It is called a leak because it refers to the escape of liquid, gas, or other substances through a hole or crack, or the release of confidential information. The term originates from the Old Norse word "leka," meaning to drip or let water in.
What is a stressed syllable in leak?
The entire word leak is stressed, as it contains only one syllable.
How many syllables are in leak?
There is one syllable in leak.
What is the plural form of leak?
The plural form is "leaks."
Is leak a negative or positive word?
Leak is generally considered a negative word due to its association with loss or unauthorized disclosure.
Is leak a countable noun?
Yes, leak is a countable noun (e.g., one leak, two leaks).
Is the word leak Gerund?
The gerund form of leak is "leaking," as in "Leaking information is unethical."
Is leak a noun or adjective?
Leak is primarily a noun and a verb. It is not used as an adjective.
Is leak a vowel or consonant?
This question does not apply to the word "leak" as a whole; it pertains to individual letters.
Is the word leak is imperative?
Yes, "leak" can be used in the imperative mood as a command, e.g., "Don't leak this information."
Is the word “leak” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Leak" can serve as a direct object in a sentence, e.g., "He discovered a leak in the pipe."
Which determiner is used with leak?
Determiners such as "the," "a," "an," or "this" can be used with leak, depending on the context.
Is leak an abstract noun?
No, leak is a concrete noun when referring to a physical escape of something. However, when referring to information, it could be considered abstract.
Is the leak term a metaphor?
Leak can be used metaphorically, especially when referring to the unauthorized release of information.
Which vowel is used before leak?
The articles "a" or "an" are used based on the following word's initial sound. Since "leak" starts with a consonant sound, "a" is used.
What is the second form of leak?
The second form (simple past) is "leaked."
What part of speech is leak?
Leak can be both a noun (referring to the act or instance of leaking) and a verb (the action of leaking).
What is another term for leak?
Another term for leak could be "seepage" (for liquids) or "breach" (for information).
Is leak an adverb?
No, leak is not an adverb.
Which preposition is used with leak?
Common prepositions used with "leak" include "in" (in the pipeline), "from" (leaking from the tank), and "through" (leaked through the ceiling).
Which conjunction is used with leak?
Conjunctions like "and," "or," and "but" can be used with "leak" to connect clauses or items in a sentence.
What is the third form of leak?
The third form (past participle) is "leaked."
What is the opposite of leak?
The opposite of leak could be "seal" or "plug" (for stopping a leak) or "retain" (for information).
Is leak a collective noun?
No, leak is not typically used as a collective noun.
Which article is used with leak?
The definite article "the" or the indefinite article "a" can be used with "leak" depending on whether it refers to a specific leak or leaks in general, e.g., "the leak" or "a leak."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
