leach

noun

less common spelling of

1 : either vertical edge of a square sail
2 : the after edge of a fore-and-aft sail

leach

verb
\ ˈlēch How to pronounce leach (audio) \
leached; leaching; leaches

Definition of leach (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: 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 How to pronounce leachability (audio) \ noun
leachable \ ˈlē-​chə-​bəl How to pronounce leachable (audio) \ 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.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

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 Yūgen Is Delightful but Sometimes Overwrought," 9 June 2019 Other reasons for the rule include the fact that grass clippings leach phosphorus and nitrogen into streams and rivers which promotes the growth of algae and pollutes the water supply. Maia Anderson, Cincinnati.com, "NKY residents: Grass cuttings slippery when wet and can cause safety problems," 5 June 2019 At this point, the film’s visual palette will be leached of color and life; everything will be gray, black, coldly white. Daniel Mendelsohn, The New York Review of Books, "Ingmar Bergman, Novelist," 18 Apr. 2019 But the fat-loving compounds are still hanging around, leaching into the environment from decades-old equipment, and lingering in the ocean food chain. Cathleen O'grady, Ars Technica, "A decades-old pollutant is still threatening orca populations," 28 Sep. 2018 That's become an expensive necessity now that his wells have started drawing salt water as the Mediterranean leaches into the barren aquifers below. NBC News, "Cyprus turns off taps to farmers as fresh water levels drop," 22 June 2018

These 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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First Known Use of leach

Verb

1796, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for leach

Verb

leach vessel through which water is passed to extract lye

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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

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.
\ ˈlēch How to pronounce leach (audio) \

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

intransitive verb

: to pass out or through by percolation

Other Words from leach

leachability \ ˌlē-​chə-​ˈbil-​ət-​ē How to pronounce leachability (audio) \ noun, plural leachabilities
leachable \ ˈlē-​chə-​bəl How to pronounce leachable (audio) \ adjective

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