leak out
Escape through a small hole (liquid), or when a secret is told and people find out.
Meanings
Of a liquid or gas: to escape through a crack, hole, or faulty seal.
"Water was leaking out from a joint in the pipe beneath the sink."
Of secret or confidential information: to become known to the public or unauthorised parties.
"Details of the merger leaked out before the official announcement was made."
"The story leaked out through unnamed sources within the White House."
— Common phrasing in US political journalism; representative of Washington Post/New York Times reporting style
Used both literally (water, gas, or liquid leaking through a gap) and figuratively (confidential information becoming public). The figurative sense is extremely common in politics, business, and journalism. Often used in the passive for the physical sense: 'Gas had leaked out.'
Commonly used with
Forms
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