Take a leak, give a leak

Question

HiSeems like the idiom take a leak/give a leak is hardly used?https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=take+a+leak%2Cgive+a+leak%2Curinate%2Cpea&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Ctake%20a%20leak%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cgive%20a%20leak%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Curinate%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cpea%3B%2Cc0Please let me know what you think.Tom

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Take a leak is used by Americans.

CalifJim · Answer

Mr. TomPlease let me know what you think.

take a leak is a very low register expression so you won't hear it much, certainly never in public. You'd have to be on very familiar terms with an American, I suspect, more likely a man than a woman, and in a private setting, before you would have even a glimmer of a chance of ever hearing it. (On the other hand, you'll see all sorts of low-register talk on the internet.)

I have never heard give a leak.

By the way, in your N-gram you're looking for 'pea', the vegetable. I think you want 'pee'.

CJ

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Mr. TomSeems like the idiom take a leak is hardly used?

Here in the US it is used among men in a man-only (macho) setting - a locker room, a sports bar, or on a fishing or hunting trip.
(I have seen it enough in movies to know.)

It is not used in polite company.

Take a leak, give a leak

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