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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Leak: Definition, Usage & Real-Life Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：an unintended escape point (leak)

leak 🔊

/liːk/

A small hole or crack that lets something like water or air escape from where it should be.

Illustration of a water leak from a kitchen faucet, showing a single droplet.

an unintended escape point 🔊

➕

uhn uhn-in-TEN-did ih-SKAYP poynt

It refers to a point of failure in a container or system, such as a pipe or roof, through which its contents (like water or air) can escape unintentionally.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：Primary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

The word 'leak' likely originates from Middle English 'leken,' related to Old English 'lec' and Proto-Germanic '*lek,' conveying the idea of a fluid passing through.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a container that starts to 'leak.' The water that escapes from it forms a tiny 'lake' on the floor. Linking 'leak' to the similar-sounding 'lake' can help recall its core idea of unintended escape.

📖 Example

We need to fix the leak in the kitchen faucet because it keeps dripping water all day. 🔊 We need to fix the leak in the kitchen faucet because it keeps dripping water all day.

🔗 Collocations

fix a leak – to repair a point where something is escaping

spring a leak – to start leaking suddenly

water leak – an escape of water from a pipe or container

🔄 Synonyms

drip (n.) – a small drop of liquid that falls, often from a leak

hole (n.) – an opening or gap, which may allow contents to escape

opening (n.) – a gap or aperture that can serve as a point of escape

🚫 Antonyms

seal (n.) – a device or material that closes something to prevent escape

plug (n.) – an object used to block an opening

🌱 Derivatives

leaky (adj.) – having holes or cracks that allow substances to pass through

📖 Cultural Story

In modern usage, 'leak' is crucial in journalism and politics, referring to the unauthorized release of confidential information. Historic examples like the 'Pentagon Papers' leak shaped public discourse and underscored the tension between state secrecy and transparency.

Meaning 2：unauthorized information disclosure (leak)

leak 🔊

/liːk/

An act of making secret or private information known to the public by accident or on purpose.

Visual metaphor for an information leak with a confidential document sliding from an envelope.

unauthorized information disclosure 🔊

➕

uhn-AW-thuh-rahyzd in-fuhr-MAY-shun dis-KLOH-zhuhr

This denotes the act or instance of secret, private, or confidential information becoming known to the public without official authorization.

📁 Category：Laws & Regulations 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The news about the company's new product came from a leak inside the marketing department. 🔊 The news about the company's new product came from a leak inside the marketing department.

🔗 Collocations

information leak – the unauthorized release of data or knowledge

leak to the press – to give confidential information to journalists

security leak – a breach that compromises the safety of information

🔄 Synonyms

disclosure (n.) – the act of making new or secret information known

breach (n.) – a failure to observe a law or agreement, especially concerning data security

exposure (n.) – the state of having private information revealed

🚫 Antonyms

secrecy (n.) – the state of keeping information hidden from others

confidentiality (n.) – the state of keeping information private or secret

🌱 Derivatives

leaker (n.) – a person who leaks information