To spring a leak

Leak \Leak\ (l[=e]k), n. [Akin to D. lek leaky, a leak, G. leck,
   Icel. lekr leaky, Dan. l[ae]k leaky, a leak, Sw. l[aum]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.
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   2. The entrance or escape of a fluid through a crack,
      fissure, or other aperture; as, the leak gained on the
      ship's pumps.
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   3. (Elec.) A loss of electricity through imperfect
      insulation; also, the point at which such loss occurs.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   4. an act of urinating; -- used mostly in the phrase

   {take a leak}, i. e. to urinate. [vulgar]
      [PJC]

   5. The disclosure of information that is expected to be kept
      confidential; as, leaks by the White House staff
      infuriated Nixon; leaks by the Special Prosecutor were
      criticized as illegal.
      [PJC]

   {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.
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Spring \Spring\ (spr[i^]ng), v. t.
   1. To cause to spring up; to start or rouse, as game; to
      cause to rise from the earth, or from a covert; as, to
      spring a pheasant.
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   2. To produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly; as, to
      spring a surprise on someone; to spring a joke.
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            She starts, and leaves her bed, and springs a light.
                                                  --Dryden.
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            The friends to the cause sprang a new project.
                                                  --Swift.
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   3. To cause to explode; as, to spring a mine.
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   4. To crack or split; to bend or strain so as to weaken; as,
      to spring a mast or a yard.
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   5. To cause to close suddenly, as the parts of a trap
      operated by a spring; as, to spring a trap.
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   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.
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   7. To pass over by leaping; as, to spring a fence.
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   8. To release (a person) from confinement, especially from a
      prison. [colloquial]
      [PJC]

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