Seep

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /siːp/

Definitions

1. To move or flow slowly through tiny holes or porous material ; to escape or leak out gradually, often in small amounts
2. To ooze or penetrate through small spaces imperceptibly ; to leak or emit slowly over time
3. To pass through fine gaps in a slow and steady manner ; to discharge or come out little by little

Etymology: Seep began life as a verb meaning to drip or trickle, and its roots run deep. Old English "sipian" described liquid slowly dropping out of something, and it grew from the Proto-Germanic "sīpaną", which goes back to an Indo-European root meaning to pour out or drip. That same ancient root gave Latin "sēbum", meaning suet or tallow, and Ancient Greek "eíbō", meaning to drop or drip. The word's Latin cousin is a surprise, because it points to fat rather than water. Tallow and suet are rendered fats that ooze when heated, so the link between a greasy substance and a slow drip is quite natural. English "soap" is also traced to this same family of words, though the exact path is less certain. In Middle English the verb took the form "sipen", and a related form "sipe" survives as a separate word meaning a small seepage or a narrow channel for liquid. "Seep" is best understood as a variant of that older form, which explains why the two spellings sit so close together.

Synonyms: leak, ooze, drip, trickle, exude

Antonyms: flood, spill, pour, gush, surge