a. [f. LEAK sb. + -Y1.] Having a leak or leaks; full of leaks; giving passage to water or other fluid through a hole or fissure.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., III. xiii. 63. Sir, sir, thou art so leakie That we must leaue thee to thy sinking. Ibid. (1610), Temp., I. i. 51. I’le warrant him for drowning, though the Ship were no stronger then a Nutt-shell, and as leaky as an vnstanched wench.
1677. W. Hubbard, Narrative, II. 67. He would not venture himself in our Leakie Canoo.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., II. § 13. A leaky vessel, always filling and never full.
1791. W. Jessopp, Rep. Riv. Witham, 15. Lining the Canal through the leaky Soil … 450l.
1835. Sir J. Ross, Narr. 2nd Voy., ii. 11. The ship was so leaky as to require the constant use of two pumps.
1868. Morris, Earthly Par., I. 98. We lay Leaky, dismasted, a most helpless prey To winds and waves.
1872. Yeats, Techn. Hist. Comm., 141. Leaky casks.
1881. Daily News, 10 March, 6/1. A leaky gas pipe.
b. Incontinent of urine; passing urine frequently or in large quantities.
1727. Gay, Begg. Op., III. ii. The Dog is leaky in his Liquor.
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., III. 242. The patient … had never had an illness in his life, except that he had always been a ‘leaky subject.’ Ibid. Such patients seem to drift imperceptibly into the ‘leaky’ state.
c. fig. Of persons, their tongues: Not reticent, blabbing. Of memory: Not retentive.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables, ccccxxvii. 402. Women are generally so leaky, that … I have hardly met with one of the Sex that could not hold her Breath longer than she should keep a secret.
1703. Quick, Dec. Wife’s Sister, 18. Our Memories are exceeding feeble, leaky and forgetful.
1740. Somerville, Hobbinol, I. 242. But be thou, my Muse! No leaky Blab.
1805. G. Rose’s Diaries (1860), I. 244. It is true he is leaky, but I believe would not willingly tell anything.
1845. H. Rogers, Ess., I. iii. 93. [It] must depend … on the doubtful authority, and leaky memory of those who report it.
