資料來源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Leak \Leak\, n. [Akin to D. lek leaky, a leak, G. leck, Icel.
   lekr leaky, Dan. l[ae]k leaky, a leak, Sw. l["a]ck; cf. AS.
   hlec full of cracks or leaky. Cf. {Leak}, v.]
   1. A crack, crevice, fissure, or hole which admits water or
      other fluid, or lets it escape; as, a leak in a roof; a
      leak in a boat; a leak in a gas pipe. ``One leak will sink
      a ship.'' --Bunyan.

   2. The entrance or escape of a fluid through a crack,
      fissure, or other aperture; as, the leak gained on the
      ship's pumps.

   {To spring a leak}, to open or crack so as to let in water;
      to begin to let in water; as, the ship sprung a leak.



      She starts, and leaves her bed, amd springs a light.
                                                  --Dryden.

      The friends to the cause sprang a new project. --Swift.

   3. To cause to explode; as, to spring a mine.

   4. To crack or split; to bend or strain so as to weaken; as,
      to spring a mast or a yard.

   5. To cause to close suddenly, as the parts of a trap
      operated by a spring; as, to spring a trap.

   6. To bend by force, as something stiff or strong; to force
      or put by bending, as a beam into its sockets, and
      allowing it to straighten when in place; -- often with in,
      out, etc.; as, to spring in a slat or a bar.

   7. To pass over by leaping; as, to spring a fence.

   {To spring a butt} (Naut.), to loosen the end of a plank in a
      ship's bottom.

   {To spring a leak} (Naut.), to begin to leak.

   {To spring an arch} (Arch.), to build an arch; -- a common
      term among masons; as, to spring an arch over a lintel.

   {To spring a rattle}, to cause a rattle to sound. See
      {Watchman's rattle}, under {Watchman}.

   {To spring the luff} (Naut.), to ease the helm, and sail
      nearer to the wind than before; -- said of a vessel.
      --Mar. Dict.

   {To spring a} {mast or spar} (Naut.), to strain it so that it
      is unserviceable.