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Entry 8 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Leak

/(lēk)/ · IPA /liːk/
01 n. A crack, crevice, fissure, or hole which admits water or other fluid, or lets it escape; as, a leak in a roof; a leak in a boat; a leak in …
  1. 1.
    A crack, crevice, fissure, or hole which admits water or other fluid, or lets it escape; as, a leak in a roof; a leak in a boat; a leak in a gas pipe.
  2. 2.
    The entrance or escape of a fluid through a crack, fissure, or other aperture; as, the leak gained on the ship's pumps.
  3. 3.
    A loss of electricity through imperfect insulation; also, the point at which such loss occurs.(Elec.)
  4. 4.
    an act of urinating; -- used mostly in the phrase take a leak, i. e. to urinate.[vulgar]
  5. 5.
    The disclosure of information that is expected to be kept confidential; as, leaks by the White House staff infuriated Nixon; leaks by the Special Prosecutor were criticized as illegal.
Phrases & compounds
To spring a leak — to open or crack so as to let in water; to begin to let in water; as, the ship sprung a leak.
02 a. Leaky.
  1. 1.
    Leaky.[Obs.]
03 v. i. To let water or other fluid in or out through a hole, crevice, etc.; as, the cask leaks; the roof leaks; the boat leaks.
imp. & p. p. Leaked; p. pr. & vb. n. Leaking
  1. 1.
    To let water or other fluid in or out through a hole, crevice, etc.; as, the cask leaks; the roof leaks; the boat leaks.
  2. 2.
    To enter or escape, as a fluid, through a hole, crevice, etc.; to pass gradually into, or out of, something; -- usually with in or out.
Phrases & compounds
To leak out — to be divulged gradually or clandestinely; to become public; as, the facts leaked out.