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leak

n. · v.
US //ˈɫik// UK //lˈiːk// leak
  1. 1 a hole for liquid (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a small hole or crack that lets liquid or gas escape or enter.

    a crack, hole, or fissure that permits the unintended entrance or escape of a fluid or gas.

    Example

    The plumber found a small leak in the pipe under the kitchen sink.

    Example

    The engineers identified a microscopic leak in the fuel line, which had been causing a gradual drop in pressure during the test flight.
  2. 2 secret information (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of giving secret information to the public or the media.

    the intentional but unauthorized disclosure of confidential information to the public or the press.

    Example

    A leak from the government office revealed the new tax plans early.

    Example

    The recent data leak has compromised the personal details of thousands of customers, leading to a massive investigation into the company's security protocols.
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  1. 3 computing resource loss (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    when a computer program uses up memory and does not give it back.

    the gradual depletion of system resources, such as memory, caused by a failure to deallocate previously reserved portions.

    Example

    The app crashes because of a memory leak that uses all the phone's RAM.

    Example

    The software update was designed specifically to address a persistent memory leak that had been degrading server performance over long periods of uptime.
  2. 4 urination (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang Vulgar

    a very informal way to talk about going to the toilet.

    an act of urination; used in informal or vulgar contexts.

    Example

    We stopped the car at a petrol station so he could take a leak.

    Example

    After the long bus journey, several passengers were desperate to find a restroom and take a leak.
  3. 5 to escape through a hole (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to let liquid or gas out through a hole by accident.

    to allow fluid or gas to pass through an opening that should be sealed; may be used transitively or intransitively.

    Example

    Water started to leak from the ceiling after the heavy rain.

    Example

    The damaged container began to leak toxic fumes into the warehouse, forcing an immediate evacuation of all staff members.
  4. 6 to share secrets (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to give secret information to someone, like a reporter.

    to disclose confidential information surreptitiously or anonymously to an outside party.

    Example

    Someone in the company leaked the photos of the new phone before the launch.

    Example

    An anonymous source leaked the classified documents to the newspaper, sparking a nationwide debate on government transparency.
Origin

From Middle English leken (“to let water in or out”), from Old English lecan (“to leak”), Middle Dutch leken (“to leak, drip”) or Old Norse leka (“to leak, drip”); all from Proto-Germanic lekaną (“to leak, drain”), from Proto-Indo-European leg-, leǵ- (“to leak”). Cognate with Dutch lekken (“to leak”), German lechen, lecken (“to leak”), Danish lække (“to leak”), Swedish läcka (“to leak”), Icelandic leka (“to leak”). Related also to Old English leċċan (“to water, wet”), Albanian lag, lak (“I damp, make wet”). See also leach, lake. (divulgation, disclosure of information): Compare typologically Bulgarian изтичане (iztičane), Polish przeciek, Russian уте́чка (utéčka) (akin to течь impf or f (tečʹ)).

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