leach away

leach away

1. To become dissolved, eroded, or carried away, by or as by some percolating liquid. Nutrients in the soil have continued leaching away as the groundwater become more acidic. The calcium in the sandstone leached away over time as water levels rose.
2. To dissolve, erode, or carry something away due to percolation. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "leach" and "away." Increasingly acidic water has been leaching away important minerals from the land. Over time, the saltwater leached the limestone away all along the coastline.
See also: away, leach
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

leach something away (from something)

 and leach something out (of something); leach something out; leach something away
to remove something from something by leaching. The heavy rains leached nutrients away from the soil. The rains leached away the nutrients.
See also: away, leach

leach away

[for something] to erode or wash away gradually by leaching. The soft sandstone leached away under the constant rains. The flowerpots sat out in the rain, where all the nutrients in the soil leached away.
See also: away, leach
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • drain away
  • are we away
  • Are we away?
  • away
  • draw away
  • do away with
  • do away with (someone, something, or oneself)
  • draw away from (someone or something)
  • dwindle away
  • drift away
References in periodicals archive
But these tend to leach away too rapidly to be of use in a clinical setting.
But what does concern me is that a loss of our writing-based lives might leach away a little of our humanity.
The researchers used rye as a winter cover crop to protect the soil, increase organic matter, and hold nutrients remaining from previous cropping seasons that otherwise might leach away.
But presenter Chris Jackson will tell viewers: "Northumbrian Water sounds nice and local but when you pay the bill you may be surprised to learn the profits leach away to the other side of the world."
(Nitrogen added in fall could leach away by spring.)
Which is why the RFU have to do everything they can to boost participation in further and higher education because that is the demographic where players leach away.
It is time that the police changed this state of affairs and to start with, they must begin a drive to leach away the numerous illegal guns that have flooded the city and which often figure in the numerous crimes in the city.
Jogging or other vigorous activity can cause just enough minor intestinal trauma to leach away precious hemoglobin.
Using an ionised gas (plasma) this layer is molecularly bound to the surface and will not leach away. The process confers superior oil and water repellency by reducing the surface energy to ultra-low levels - down to one third that of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).
There's plenty of water in geologic settings, such as limestone caves, so uranium will leach away.
The basil molecules bind to the polymers, but water in the food allows the chemicals to leach away from the plastic into the food.
Wolkowski explains that the largest amounts of crushed wallboard raised concentrations of soil calcium and sulfur but lowered soil magnesium; the excess calcium from the wallboard displaces magnesium from the soil, allowing it to leach away. Alfalfa grown on magnesium-deficient soil could therefore become magnesium-depleted and potentially cause tetany if fed to cows (the muscular spasms and twitching of tetany result from insufficient minerals such as magnesium).
Far more expedient and inexpensive than waste-treatment methods (which can break down certain toxic substances) or sealed "bank-vault" fills (which are designed to keep waste contained), "leaky" fills like Kronos "remediate" toxins--as well as the legal liabilities of landowners--by letting them slowly leach away. Drains collect some of the poisonous runoff.
Put plants in fast-draining soil, and water heavily to leach away salts.
Make sure the wood is clean, smooth and sanded before you start painting, and consider using a primer so that the colour you choose doesn't leach away. The preparation element can be tedious, but it's well worth it, and means you won't have to re-do the work because your paint is peeling prematurely.