Bleed - What does bleed mean?

Definition of BLEED:

This entry has two definitions:

Definition 1:

In printing, bleed refers to the printed area of a sheet that will be trimmed off after printing. As it can be difficult to print a specific area with precision, it is sometimes simpler to expand the printed area (using bleed) and then trim the sheet to the required size. Bleed is intended to improve the quality of the finished product; the area of bleed can account for any movement of the sheet during printing, any design inconsistencies, and prevents the appearance of unprinted edges on the final product. When bleed extends to each edge of the sheet being printed, this is known as "full bleed".

Definition 2:

Bleed is also sometimes used to refer to the undesirable movement of a printing ink (or a component of an ink such as the pigment or dye) into an area where it should not be. This could be the penetration of an ink into the face material (causing discolouration of the face material) or the spreading of an ink of one colour into an adjacent area that contains ink of a different colour. Bleed tends to occur when printing inks are too viscous, applied in too large a quantity, or when they dry incorrectly. It can also occur if the face material is highly absorbant.

Here is the Harvard-style citation to use if you would like to reference this definition of the word bleed:
Label Planet (2020) What does bleed mean? | Bleed Definition. Available at: https://www.labelplanet.co.uk/glossary/bleed/ (Accessed: January 1, 2024).