take on water

Verb

take on water (third-person singular simple present takes on water, present participle taking on water, simple past took on water, past participle taken on water)

1. (boat, or other watercraft) To slowly fill with water, as due to a leak or being washed by high waves; to begin to sink.
   • The skipper, Matt Craughwell, said their boat had begun to take on water after being tossed, stern upwards, by huge waves.2012 January 31, Charlie Cooper, Simon Rice, “How six would-be record-breakers ended up in seriously deep water”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 08 Jan 2016
2. (broadly, idiomatic) To be in an increasingly difficult or risky situation; to falter or begin to fail.
   • While the heartland is chugging right along, the economies of Southern California and New England are still taking on water.1994 January 2, Peter Passell, “Clear Today; Tomorrow, Who Knows?; Catch '94”, in New York Times, retrieved 08 Jan 2016
   • Democrats on Capitol Hill . . . are struggling not to go down with the Obama campaign (which is taking on water at an alarming rate).2012 June 22, Jennifer Rubin, “Why defend Obama’s abuse of executive privilege?”, in Washington Post, retrieved 08 Jan 2016