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LEEK/liːk/

A leak is liquid or gas escaping, or secret information reaching the press: a gas leak; a leak to the newspapers; leak a report (verb). Leakage is often the liquid sense. A spill is usually on a surface. Do not accuse someone of a leak unless you mean unauthorised disclosure — it is a serious news word. Drip is a slow liquid leak.

Meaning

A hole or crack that lets liquid or gas escape; also secret information given to the press.

Examples

• “There was a leak of the report to a Sunday newspaper.”
• “Engineers shut the street because of a water leak.”
• “Someone leaked the salary list to a reporter, which is the news sense.”

Good to know

a gas / water leak; a leak to the press. Verb: leak a document. Surface: spill. Slow: drip. News sense is serious.

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