leaking

Verb

leak (third-person singular simple present leaks, present participle leaking, simple past and past participle leaked)

1. (transitive) 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.
2. (intransitive) (of a fluid or gas) To pass through an opening that should be sealed.
   • The faucet has been leaking since last month.
3. (ambitransitive) To disclose secret information surreptitiously or anonymously.
   • Someone must have leaked it to our competitors that the new product will be out soon.
4. (broadly, figuratively, intransitive) To pass through when it would normally or preferably be blocked.
   • A target that is not detected would not be intercepted and thus would leak through the single defensive layer.1989, Kenneth N. Luongo, W. Thomas Wander, The Search for Security in Space, page 149
5. (broadly, figuratively, transitive) To allow anything through that would normally or preferably be blocked.
   • England were leaking penalties as Scotland played with pace and variety. Russell was starting to find his range and when he threaded through a grubber to Sean Maitland the winger did well to gather and keep the ball in play. Unfortunately, his pass inside just eluded Russell.2021 February 6, Graham Bean, “Scotland beat England at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years”, in The Scotsman
6. (euphemistic, slang, sometimes) To urinate.
   • I had to leak in the woods since there were no toilets around.

   Synonyms:

   break the seal, hit the head, micturate, pass water, pee, piddle, piss, slash, take a leak, take a piss

See all 17 meanings of leak