leach1

[leech] /litʃ/
verb (used with object)
1.
to dissolve out soluble constituents from (ashes, soil, etc.) by percolation.
2.
to cause (water or other liquid) to percolate through something.
verb (used without object)
3.
(of ashes, soil, etc.) to undergo the action of percolating water.
4.
to percolate, as water.
noun
5.
the act or process of leaching.
6.
a product or solution obtained by leaching; leachate.
7.
the material leached.
8.
a vessel for use in leaching.
Origin
1425-75; late Middle English leche leachate, infusion, probably Old English *læc(e), *lec(e), akin to leccan to wet, moisten, causative of leak
Related forms
leachable, adjective
leachability, noun
leacher, noun
unleached, adjective

leach2

[leech] /litʃ/
noun, Nautical
1.
leech3 .
Examples from the web for leach
  • Selling fruits and veggies in boxes that don't leach chemicals into landfills sounds equally wonderful.
  • The more hydrogen ions that leach into the ocean, the more acidic it becomes.
  • The plastics, batteries and other components leach heavy metals and various carcinogenic chemicals into drinking water.
  • Torrential rains in equatorial regions tend to leach the soils of nutrients.
  • And the fact is that the presidency is responsible for putting a leach on them.
  • But many have been shown to interact with proteins, and to leach from food containers into their contents.
  • Over time, different trace elements leach out from the varnish at different rates.
  • The desert below was marked by open pit after open pit, heap-leach pad after heap-leach pad, tailings pond after tailings pond.
  • There is also growing concern that chemicals in the bottles themselves may leach into the water.
  • In either case, their raw materials can leach into the environment.
British Dictionary definitions for leach

leach1

/liːtʃ/
verb
1.
to remove or be removed from a substance by a percolating liquid
2.
to lose or cause to lose soluble substances by the action of a percolating liquid
3.
another word for percolate (sense 1), percolate (sense 2)
noun
4.
the act or process of leaching
5.
a substance that is leached or the constituents removed by leaching
6.
a porous vessel for leaching
Derived Forms
leacher, noun
Word Origin
C17: variant of obsolete letch to wet, perhaps from Old English leccan to water; related to leak

leach2

/liːtʃ/
noun
1.
a variant spelling of leech2

Leach

/liːtʃ/
noun
1.
Bernard (Howell). 1887–1979, British potter, born in Hong Kong

leech2

/liːtʃ/
noun
1.
(nautical) the after edge of a fore-and-aft sail or either of the vertical edges of a squaresail
Word Origin
C15: of Germanic origin; compare Dutch lijk
Word Origin and History for leach
v.

Old English leccan "to moisten, water, wet, irrigate," (see leak). The word disappears, then re-emerges late 18c. in a technological sense in reference to percolating liquids. Related: Leached; leaching.