leach
nounless common spelling of leech
1
: either vertical edge of a square sail
2
: the after edge of a fore-and-aft sail
leach
verb
\ ˈlēch
\
\
leached;
leaching;
leaches
Definition of leach (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to dissolve out by the action of a percolating liquid
leach out alkali from ashes
2
: to subject to the action of percolating (see percolate sense 1a) liquid (such as water) in order to separate the soluble components
3a
: to remove (nutritive or harmful elements) from soil by percolation (see percolate sense 1a)
soil leached of its salts by torrential rains
b
: to draw out or remove as if by percolation
all meaning has been leached from my life
: to pass out or through by percolation
Nutrients leached out of the soil with rainwater.
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Other Words from leach
Verb
leachability
\ ˌlē-chə-ˈbi-lə-tē
\
noun
\
noun
leachable
\ ˈlē-chə-bəl
\
adjective
\
adjective
leacher
noun
Examples of leach in a Sentence
Verb
Even a small amount of rain can leach the toxic material from the soil. Certain kinds of treated wood can leach chemicals into the soil. The chemical eventually leaches away from the soil.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Acidic water can corrode lead pipes and carry lead that leaches from them to the tap. — Maura C. Allaire, The Conversation, "How to address America’s lead crisis and provide safe drinking water for all," 3 Sep. 2019 Their federal complaint alleges that the city of Newark failed to install and maintain the corrosion control treatment necessary to prevent water corrosion on service lines and lead plumbing, allowing lead to leach into drinking water. — Victor J. Blue For Cnn, CNN, "There's lead in Newark's water. A mom worries her 5-year-old is 'being poisoned'," 17 Aug. 2019 Newman says that this method is effective at flushing out lead and copper that could leach out as water sits in the pipes. — Anna Rose Macarthur, Anchorage Daily News, "Bethel water testing shows lead and copper levels exceeding federal standards," 8 Aug. 2019 At the same time, years of bombardments and neglect have created cracks in landfills that leach decomposing plastic toxicants into the groundwater. — Heidi Levine, National Geographic, "Plastics in the Gaza Strip are both a curse and a blessing," 7 Aug. 2019 The lead is suspected to be leaching into the water from old pipes in predominantly lower income and minority neighborhoods. — Don Dahler, CBS News, ""Fix it!": Newark residents concerned over lead in water supply," 12 Aug. 2019 But even so, that doesn’t prevent clothing chemicals from breaking down and leaching out of your clothing and onto your skin or into the air your breathe. — Markham Heid, Time, "Why You Should Always Wash New Clothes Before Wearing Them," 23 July 2019 More delicate flavors and ingredients that could easily be leached of flavor over high heat (herbs, mainly) need a cold steep, which can be done while the base cools in the fridge or in an ice bath. — Washington Post, "How to create the ice cream of your dreams," 9 July 2019 Katsumura weaves these bundles into a wreath with fried and pickled mushrooms, toasted kale, and pickled huckleberries, the delicate fruit leaching deep purple swirls into the sauce, a classic beurre monté fortified with kombu oil. — Adam Erace, Fortune, "Review: The Food at Chicago’s YÅ«gen Is Delightful but Sometimes Overwrought," 9 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'leach.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for leach
leach
verb
English Language Learners Definition of leach
technical
: to remove (a chemical, a metal, etc.) from a substance by the action of a liquid passing through the substance : to release (a chemical, a metal, etc.) when a liquid passes through
of a chemical, a metal, etc.
: to be removed from a substance by a liquid passing through the substance
See the full definition for leach in the English Language Learners Dictionary
leach
verb
leached;
leaching
Kids Definition of leach
: to remove or remove from by the action of a liquid passing through a substance
Water leaches minerals from soil. The soil was leached by the constant rain.
leach
transitive verb
\ ˈlēch
\
\
Medical Definition of leach
1
: to subject to the action of percolating liquid (as water) in order to separate the soluble components
2
: to dissolve out by the action of a percolating liquid
: to pass out or through by percolation
Other Words from leach
leachability
\ ˌlē-chə-ˈbil-ət-ē
\
noun,
plural leachabilities
\
noun,
plural leachabilities
leachable
\ ˈlē-chə-bəl
\
adjective
\
adjective