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The bucket is leaking from top

Posted by R. Berg on April 11, 2008 at 17:51:

In Reply to: The bucket is leaking from top posted by Victoria S Dennis on April 11, 2008 at 10:47:

: : 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)

It might also refer to leaks of information: the corporate executives are telling secrets to the press. ~rb

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