sipe

Sipe is a verb meaning to seep or ooze slowly, used primarily in British dialects and some American regional speech.

Water sipes through cracks in old stone walls; moisture sipes up from damp ground.

As a noun, sipe refers to the thin grooves cut into tire treads that help channel water away from the road surface, improving grip in wet conditions.

The mechanic pointed out how the sipes on my worn tires had nearly disappeared.