The bucket is leaking from top

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on April 11, 2008 at 10:47:

In Reply to: The bucket is leaking from top posted by M.K.Barot on April 11, 2008 at 09:27:

: What is the origin & meaning of phrase "Bucket is leaking from top"? Normally, a bucket leaks from bottom.

I don't think this is a standard phrase, as such; when I Google the whole thing, the only hit I can find is your own question! However, the metaphor of a leaking bucket is often used in economic and business writing to convey the idea of continuous small losses - e.g. of customers, of revenue, of manpower, etc. If the bucket is said to be leaking from the top, that simply means that these losses are occurring at the top rather than the lower levels of the organisation. (VSD)

• The bucket is leaking from top R. Berg 11/April/08
  • The bucket is leaking from top Smokey Stover 13/April/08