leak like a sieve
Retain nothing whatsoever
To leak like a sieve is to be extremely poor at retaining things—especially secrets or information.
A sieve is designed to let liquid through, so something that leaks like one fails completely at containment: Don't tell him anything confidential—he leaks like a sieve.
The phrase can also describe physical leaking: That old roof leaks like a sieve.
- oozeSeep gradually out
- porousAllowing passage of fluids
- perforatedHaving holes throughout
- faultyHaving defects or errors
- colanderKitchen bowl for draining
full of holes · strainer · weep · spill · punctured · dripping · penetrable · breach · Swiss cheese · seepage · holey · blabbermouth · spill the beans · loose lips · loose cannon · ineffective · disclosure · permeable
leak like a sievewatertight
Prevents liquid from passing
airtight · hermetically sealed · impermeable · leakproof · sealed
leak like a sievetight-lipped
Unwilling to divulge
discreet · sealed lips · close-mouthed · airtight · watertight
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