- take a leak
- Leak Leak (l[=e]k), n. [Akin to D. lek leaky, a leak, G. leck,
Icel. lekr leaky, Dan. l[ae]k leaky, a leak, Sw. l["a]ck; cf.
AS. hlec full of cracks or leaky. Cf. {Leak}, v.]
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. ``One leak will sink
a ship.'' --Bunyan.
[1913 Webster]
2. The entrance or escape of a fluid through a crack, fissure, or other aperture; as, the leak gained on the ship's pumps. [1913 Webster]
3. (Elec.) A loss of electricity through imperfect insulation; also, the point at which such loss occurs. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
4. an act of urinating; -- used mostly in the phrase
{take a leak}, i. e. to urinate. [vulgar] [PJC]
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. [PJC]
{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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
