seep
UK[siːp]US[siːp]
v
(of a liquid) to flow slowly and in small quantities through something or into something
v
(used figuratively) to become gradually known or felt
Etymology
The verb "seep" originates from the Old English word "sipian," meaning "to soak, to percolate." This Old English term is believed to have descended from the Proto-Germanic root "sup-," which carried the sense of drinking or absorbing liquid. The word's journey reflects a common linguistic pattern where a general action (like absorbing) becomes specialized for a specific, gradual process. The modern sense of a liquid slowly oozing or filtering through small openings retains this core idea of gradual, often unnoticed, movement, which logically extends to abstract concepts like information or feelings gradually spreading.
Analysis
The word "seep" is a simplex word of Old English origin. It functions as a single, unanalyzable root in modern English.
Examples
Water began to seep through the cracks in the basement wall.
A sense of dread started to seep into the community as the news spread.
The chemical had seeped into the groundwater, contaminating the local well.