Bleed 2 : (v) To drain off liquid or gas, generally slowly, through a valve called a bleeder. To bleed down, or bleed off, means to release pressure slowly from a well or from pressurized equipment
US Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing eTool, Washington, DC. This is an abridged version of the Dictionary of Petroleum Terms provided by Petex and the University of Texas Austin, USA 2001. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/oilandgas/glossary _of_terms/glossary_of_terms_a.html, (Oil Well Drilling Sci and Tech - Amer) {492}