Seepage vs. Leak

The process by which something, especially a liquid, leaks through a porous substance; the process of seeping. Also used figuratively: the process of diffusing.

Water that has seeped or oozed through a porous soil.

Water that seeped or oozed through a porous soil.

The act or process of seeping; percolation.

a fluid that seeps out of a container; as, seepage from a reservoir.

the process of seeping

A crack, crevice, fissure, or hole which admits water or other fluid, or lets it escape.

Example: ‘a leak in a roof’; ‘a leak in a boat’; ‘a leak in a gas pipe’;

The entrance or escape of a fluid through a crack, fissure, or other aperture.

Example: ‘The leak gained on the ship's pumps.’; ‘The babies' diapers had big leaks.’;

A divulgation, or disclosure, of information previously held secret.

Example: ‘The leaks by Chelsea Manning showed the secrets of the US military.’;

The person through whom such divulgation, or disclosure, occurs.

Example: ‘The press must have learned about the plan through a leak.’;

A loss of electricity through imperfect insulation, or the point where it occurs.

(computing) The gradual loss of a system resource caused by failure to deallocate previously reserved portions.

Example: ‘resource leak’; ‘memory leak’;

An act of urination.

Example: ‘I have to take a leak.’;

(ambitransitive) To allow fluid or gas to pass through an opening that should be sealed.

Example: ‘The wells are believed to have been leaking oil for decades, long after the operating company ceased to exist.’; ‘The faucet has been leaking since last month.’;

(intransitive) (of a fluid or gas) To pass through an opening that should be sealed.

Example: ‘No one realized that propane gas was leaking from a rusty tank in the concession area, slowly filling the unventilated room.’;

(ambitransitive) To disclose secret information surreptitiously or anonymously.

Example: ‘Someone must have leaked it to our competitors that the new product will be out soon.’;

(obsolete) Leaky.

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.

The entrance or escape of a fluid through a crack, fissure, or other aperture; as, the leak gained on the ship's pumps.

A loss of electricity through imperfect insulation; also, the point at which such loss occurs.

an act of urinating; - used mostly in the phrase take a leak, i. e. to urinate.

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.

Leaky.

To let water or other fluid in or out through a hole, crevice, etc.; as, the cask leaks; the roof leaks; the boat leaks.

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.

an accidental hole that allows something (fluid or light etc.) to enter or escape;

Example: ‘one of the tires developed a leak’;

soft watery rot in fruits and vegetables caused by fungi

a euphemism for urination;

Example: ‘he had to take a leak’;

the unwanted discharge of a fluid from some container;

Example: ‘they tried to stop the escape of gas from the damaged pipe’; ‘he had to clean up the leak’;

unauthorized (especially deliberate) disclosure of confidential information

tell anonymously;

Example: ‘The news were leaked to the paper’;

be leaked;

Example: ‘The news leaked out despite his secrecy’;

enter or escape as through a hole or crack or fissure;

Example: ‘Water leaked out of the can into the backpack’; ‘Gas leaked into the basement’;

have an opening that allows light or substances to enter or go out;

Example: ‘The container leaked gasoline’; ‘the roof leaks badly’;

A leak is a way (usually an opening) for fluid to escape a container or fluid-containing system, such as a tank or a ship's hull, through which the contents of the container can escape or outside matter can enter the container. Leaks are usually unintended and therefore undesired.