Lead - definition, pronunciation, transcription

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Amer.  |liːd|  American pronunciation of the word lead
Brit.  |liːd|  British pronunciation of the word lead
irregular verb:  p.t. — led  p.p. — led

noun

- an advantage held by a competitor in a race
he took the lead at the last turn
- a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull grey
the children were playing with lead soldiers
- evidence pointing to a possible solution (syn: track, trail)
the police are following a promising lead
- a position of being the initiator of something and an example that others will follow (especially in the phrase `take the lead')
he takes the lead in any group
we were just waiting for someone to take the lead
they didn't follow our lead
- the angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)
- the introductory section of a story (syn: lead-in)
it was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matter
- (sports) the score by which a team or individual is winning
- an actor who plays a principal role (syn: principal, star)
- (baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base
he took a long lead off first
- an indication of potential opportunity (syn: hint, steer, tip, wind)
a good lead for a job
- a news story of major importance
- the timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine
- restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal (syn: leash, tether)
- thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing (syn: leading)
- mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil
- a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire
it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads
- the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge
the lead was in the dummy

verb

- take somebody somewhere (syn: conduct, direct, guide, take)
We lead him to our chief
- produce as a result or residue (syn: leave, result)
- tend to or result in
This remark lead to further arguments among the guests
- travel in front of; go in advance of others (syn: head)
- cause to undertake a certain action
- stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point (syn: extend, go, pass, run)
- be in charge of (syn: head)
- be ahead of others; be the first (syn: top)
- be conducive to (syn: conduce, contribute)
The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing
- lead, as in the performance of a composition (syn: conduct, direct)
- lead, extend, or afford access (syn: go)
- move ahead (of others) in time or space (syn: precede)
- cause something to pass or lead somewhere (syn: run)
- preside over (syn: chair, moderate)

Extra examples

...the lead diplomat is responsible for making policy for the entire embassy...

Most of the legislators followed the lead of the governor.

The police haven't a single lead.

The black horse took the lead.

Your candidate has a slight lead.

They led us down to the river.

She led the group from the bus to the auditorium.

The prisoners were led into the courtroom.

He longed to lead his men on to victory.

The candidate's integrity and strength led the voters to support him.

She knew the colonel was easily led.

There was nothing in the prospectus to lead him to such a conclusion.

The path leads down to the river.

Their road led them through a little copse.

The road leads back to town.

Phrasal verbs

lead off  — teach immoral behavior to
lead on  — entice or induce especially when unwise or mistaken
lead up  — set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for

Word forms

verb
I/you/we/they: lead
he/she/it: leads
present participle: leading
past tense: led
past participle: led
noun
singular: lead
plural: leads
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