Drawing off liquid through a tube or pipe by means of air pressure differences; or gradually taking money or resources away from something or someone.
From Greek 'siphon,' possibly from Hebrew 'tzinor' (pipe). The word entered English in the 16th century describing the physical tube, then metaphorically extended to any gradual extraction or diversion of resources.
A siphon works through a beautiful physics principle: once you fill the tube and start the flow, gravity and air pressure keep the liquid moving until the source is below the destination level—so it requires just a moment of effort to set up, then runs on its own, which is why 'siphoning off funds' perfectly captures how corruption happens quietly.
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