leak
leek
Leak (noun) means a crack or hole that lets liquid or gas escape or get in when it shouldn't. Example: “The plumber found a small leak behind the bathroom wall.”
noun
1
A crack or hole that lets liquid or gas escape or get in when it shouldn't.
"The plumber found a small leak behind the bathroom wall."
"There's a leak under the kitchen sink."
"A slow leak in the tire left the car stranded."
2
The unauthorized release of secret or private information.
"The minister ordered an inquiry into the leak of the draft report."
"A leak from inside the studio spoiled the surprise ending of the film."
"The leak revealed confidential details about the merger."
verb
1
To let liquid or gas escape through an opening, or to escape that way.
"My old boots leak whenever I walk through deep puddles."
"The pipe started to leak after the frost."
"Water leaked through a crack in the ceiling."
2
To reveal secret information to the public, usually without permission.
"The officials were furious that someone had leaked the plans before the announcement."
"Nobody knows who leaked the photos of the new phone to bloggers."
"Someone inside the company leaked the sales figures to the press."
How to use leak
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn unwanted escape — of liquid, gas, or, figuratively, of secret information.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
spring a leak
gas leak
leak information
data leak
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Word forms
- Plural
- leaks
- Third person singular
- leaks
- Past tense
- leaked
- Comparative
- more leak
- Superlative
- most leak
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The plumber found a small _____ behind the bathroom wall.
Etymology
From Middle English leken, related to Old Norse leka ("to drip"), all going back to a Germanic root meaning "to leak or drain."
Related words
Rhymes for leak
See all rhymes for leak →Frequently asked questions
What does “leak” mean?
The word “leak” means a crack or hole that lets liquid or gas escape or get in when it shouldn't. In plain terms, an unwanted escape — of liquid, gas, or, figuratively, of secret information.
How do you pronounce “leak”?
“Leak” is pronounced leek (/liːk/ in IPA).
How do you use “leak” in a sentence?
Here is “leak” used in a sentence: “There's a leak under the kitchen sink.”
What part of speech is “leak”?
Depending on how it is used, “leak” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “leak” come from?
The word “leak” comes from Middle English. From Middle English leken, related to Old Norse leka ("to drip"), all going back to a Germanic root meaning "to leak or drain.".
Is “leak” a common word?
“Leak” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “leak” have?
“Leak” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a crack or hole that lets liquid or gas escape or get in when it shouldn't.
What is the difference between leak and leakage?
A leak is the crack or hole itself, or a single instance of liquid, gas, or information escaping; leakage is the process or the total amount that escapes, often over time. An engineer might fix a leak but measure leakage. In everyday speech, leak is by far the more common word.
What is the difference between a leak and a spill?
A leak happens when liquid or gas escapes through a crack or hole, usually gradually and often unnoticed at first. A spill is a one-off accident in which liquid escapes its container, typically by being knocked over or overflowing. A pipe leaks; a glass of wine spills.
Is it 'sprang a leak' or 'sprung a leak'?
The verb phrase is 'to spring a leak', meaning to develop a leak suddenly. The traditional past tense is sprang — 'the boat sprang a leak' — with sprung as the past participle: 'it has sprung a leak'. American English also accepts sprung as a simple past.
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