From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishleakleak1 /liːk/ ●●○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]HOLEPOUR if a container, pipe, roof etc leaks, or if it leaks gas, liquid etc, there is a small hole or crack in it that lets gas or liquid flow through The roof is leaking. A tanker is leaking oil off the coast of Scotland.2 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]HOLEPOUR if a gas or liquid leaks somewhere, it gets through a hole in something SYN seepleak into/from/out Sea water was leaking into the batteries which powered the electric motors.3 [transitive]TELL A SECRET to deliberately give secret information to a newspaper, television company etc The report’s findings had been leaked.leak something to somebody civil servants who leak information to the press► see thesaurus at reveal → leak out→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
leak• I think the fuel tank is leaking.• The Congressman was furious that the report had been leaked.• Someone at the Pentagon leaked a letter from the Secretary of Defense.• The roof leaked, and the front porch was falling off.• But once the adrenalin spurts back into your system it will not gently leak away.• They found the pipe that was leaking chlorine.• The Ecuadorean tanker Jessica started leaking diesel oil after running aground last week.• Water was leaking from a pipe in the bathroom.• Then a buttery glow leaking from horizon to horizon, flooding the mesas and outcrop rock of the high desert.• Its Woosterish appearance conceals some white-hot technology, such as an airtight ink-chamber which is guaranteed not to leak in an aircraft cabin.• Is it doing anything strange, such as leaking, making noises or not keeping water as hot as it used to?• A man was charged today with leaking official secrets.• Yoghurt had leaked out of the pot all over my lunchbox.• Information on the merger had been leaked to the press.• The contents of the fax were leaked to the press• The roof always leaks when it rains.leak into/from/out• An exhaust leak from an O-ring seal in a right booster motor was blamed for the fatal 1986 Challenger accident.• The hope was that the morphogen in the mixture would slowly leak out and specify new digits.• Despite Mansell's denials, technical data leaked from Ferrari sources appear to support Prost's contentions.• Saunders' body was twitching violently as his blood leaked out in dying jets, slicking the walkway.• Modern gliders usually have spring-loaded caps which are pulled down firmly to prevent air leaking into or out of the wing.• Pollution experts from the National Rivers Authority were called in to assess the danger of fuel leaking into the canal.• The oil may be leaking from the following points.leak something to somebody• Details of the contract were leaked to the press.leakleak2 ●●○ noun [countable] 1 HOLEa small hole that lets liquid or gas flow into or out of something There is a leak in the ceiling. The boat had sprung a leak (=a hole had appeared in it).► see thesaurus at hole2 → a gas/oil/water etc leak3 TELL A SECRETa situation in which secret information is deliberately given to a newspaper, television company etc It became evident from the leaks that something important was going on.4 → take/have a leakExamples from the Corpus
leak• The water pressure's right down - there must be a leak in the pipe.• The boat had sprung a leak and it was sinking fast.• The scandal began with a leak to "The Times".• A leak was discovered in the cooling system.• I think you know how obsessed George Bush is about leaks.• Vote paves way, page 2 News in brief: Ferries held up by gas leak.• Forcing independent gas suppliers to respond to gas leaks reported to them.• People whose roofs have been sound for decades are now looking at major leaks.• Waterproofness: no leaks even during heavy downpours.• White House officials are anxious to find the person responsible for the leak.• Usually the origin of the leaks and the motives behind them were easy enough to trace.• Decaying steelwork and water leaks have weakened the tunnel structures, and many stations are in need of major refurbishment.sprung a leak• If it is partly submerged, it has sprung a leak and filled with water.Origin leak1 (1400-1500) Old Norse leka 