From Middle English led, leed, from Old English lēad (“lead”), from Proto-West Germanic *laud (“lead”), possibly borrowed from Proto-Celtic *ɸloudom, from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow”). Cognate with Scots leid, lede (“lead”), North Frisian lud, luad (“lead”), West Frisian lead (“lead”), Dutch lood (“lead”), Low German Lod (“solder, plummet”), German Lot (“solder, plummet, sounding line”), Swedish lod (“solder, plummet”), Icelandic lóð (“a plumb, weight”), Irish luaidhe (“lead”) Latin plumbum (“lead”), Finnish luoti (“bullet”). Doublet of loth. More at flow. * (graphite in a pencil): Graphite was once believed to be a form of lead; see black lead and plumbago.
A heavy, pliable, inelastic metal element, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished; both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity. It is easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of solder and type metal. Atomic number 82, symbol Pb (from Latin plumbum).
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Nautical, Transport A plummet or mass of lead attached to a line, used in sounding depth at sea or to estimate velocity in knots.
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A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.
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Media, Publishing, Typography Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.
This copy has too much lead; I prefer less space between the lines.
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Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.
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A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.
I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top.1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Building”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
These rooms were on a level with the apartments of our friends Bows and Costigan next door at No. 4; and by reaching over the communicating leads, Grady could command the mignonette-box which bloomed in Bows’s window.1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
From Middle English led, leed, from Old English lēad (“lead”), from Proto-West Germanic *laud (“lead”), possibly borrowed from Proto-Celtic *ɸloudom, from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow”). Cognate with Scots leid, lede (“lead”), North Frisian lud, luad (“lead”), West Frisian lead (“lead”), Dutch lood (“lead”), Low German Lod (“solder, plummet”), German Lot (“solder, plummet, sounding line”), Swedish lod (“solder, plummet”), Icelandic lóð (“a plumb, weight”), Irish luaidhe (“lead”) Latin plumbum (“lead”), Finnish luoti (“bullet”). Doublet of loth. More at flow. * (graphite in a pencil): Graphite was once believed to be a form of lead; see black lead and plumbago.
Etymology From Middle English leden, from Old English lǣdan (“to lead”), from Proto-West Germanic *laidijan, from Proto-Germanic *laidijaną (“to cause one to go, lead”), causative of Proto-Germanic *līþaną (“to go”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyt- (“to leave, die”). Cognate with West Frisian liede (“to lead”), Dutch leiden (“to lead”), German leiten (“to lead”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål lede (“to lead”), Norwegian Nynorsk leia (“to lead”), Swedish leda (“to lead”), Faroese and Icelandic leiða (“to lead”). Related to Old English līþan (“to go, travel”).
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Foremost.
The contestants are all tied; no one has the lead position.
For the first time ever, the senior architect and lead developer for a key enterprise system on NASA's ongoing Mars Exploration Rover mission shares the secrets to one of the most difficult technology tasks […]2006, Ronald Mak, The Martian Principles for Successful Enterprise Systems:
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Main, principal, primary, first, chief, foremost.
the lead guitarist in band
the lead developer on a software project
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Yingluck Shinawatra, Thailand's ex-prime minister, has missed a verdict in a negligence trial that could have seen her jailed, prompting the Supreme Court to say it will issue an arrest warrant fearing she is a flight risk, according to the lead judge in the case.2017 August 25, "Arrest threat as Yingluck Shinawatra misses verdict", in aljazeera.com, Al Jazeera
Etymology From Middle English leden, from Old English lǣdan (“to lead”), from Proto-West Germanic *laidijan, from Proto-Germanic *laidijaną (“to cause one to go, lead”), causative of Proto-Germanic *līþaną (“to go”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyt- (“to leave, die”). Cognate with West Frisian liede (“to lead”), Dutch leiden (“to lead”), German leiten (“to lead”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål lede (“to lead”), Norwegian Nynorsk leia (“to lead”), Swedish leda (“to lead”), Faroese and Icelandic leiða (“to lead”). Related to Old English līþan (“to go, travel”).
Heading To guide or conduct with the hand, or by means of some physical contact connection.
a father leads a child
a jockey leads a horse with a halter
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a dog leads a blind man
If a blind man lead a blind man, both fall down in the ditch.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 15:14:
They thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 4:29:
In thy right hand lead with thee / The mountain nymph, sweet Liberty.a. 1645, John Milton, “L’Allegro”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC:
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Heading To guide or conduct in a certain course, or to a certain place or end, by making the way known; to show the way, especially by going with or going in advance of; to guide somebody somewhere or to bring somebody somewhere by means of instructions.
The guide was able to lead the tourists through the jungle safely.
The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 13:21:
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He leadeth me beside the still waters.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 23:2:
This thought might lead me through the world’s vain mask. Content, though blind, had I no better guide.1673, John Milton, “[Sonnet] [Sonnet] XXI”, in Poems, &c. upon Several Occasions, London: […] Tho[mas] Dring […], →OCLC:
I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal'lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
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HeadingFiguratively To direct; to counsel; to instruct.
A good teacher should lead their students to the right answer.
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Heading To conduct or direct with authority; to have direction or charge of; to command, especially a military or business unit.
to lead a political party
to lead the search team
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Christ took not upon him flesh and blood that he might conquer and rule nations, lead armies, or possess places.1664, Robert South, “(please specify the sermon number)A Sermon Preached Before the University at Christ-Church, Oxon”, in Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions. […], new edition, volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: […] Thomas Tegg, […], published 1843, →OCLC:
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Heading To draw or direct by influence, whether good or bad; to prevail on; to induce; to entice; to allure.
to lead someone to a righteous cause
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 6:13:
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Silly women, laden with sins, led away by divers lusts.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Timothy 3:6:
He was driven by the necessities of the times, more than led by his own disposition, to any rigor of actions.1649, King Charles I of England, Eikon Basilike:
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Heading To influence towards a belief, a conclusion, etc.
The evidence leads me to believe he is guilty.
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To guide or conduct, as by accompanying, going before, showing, influencing, directing with authority, etc.; to have precedence or preeminence; to be first or chief; — used in most of the senses of the transitive verb.
› To begin, to be ahead.
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Heading To go or to be in advance of; to precede; hence, to be foremost or chief among.
the big sloop led the fleet of yachts; the Guards led the attack; Demosthenes leads the orators of all ages
1600, Edward Fairfax, The Jerusalem Delivered of Tasso As Hesperus, that leads the sun his way.
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And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.c. 1819, Leigh Hunt, Abou Ben Adhem:
“Well,” I answered, at first with uncertainty, then with inspiration, “he would do splendidly to lead your cotillon, if you think of having one.” ¶ “So you do not dance, Mr. Crocker?” ¶ I was somewhat set back by her perspicuity.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
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Heading To proceed in front of others; to go first.
The standard-bearers led and the rest of the marchers followed.
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Heading To be more advanced in technology or business than others.
It leads in the information technology sector.
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Card games, Dominoes, Games, Heading, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To begin a game, round, or trick, with
to lead trumps
He led the ace of spades.
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Heading, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To be ahead of others, e.g., in a race.
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Heading, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To have the highest interim score in a game.
Heading, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To aim in front of a moving target, in order that the shot may hit the target as it passes.
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Climbing, Heading, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports To lead climb.
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To tend or reach in a certain spatial direction, or to a certain place.
the path leads to the mill
The mountain-foot that leads towards Mantua.c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
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To be a cause of.
gambling leads to other vices
Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures.2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:
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All this has led to an explosion of protest across China, including among a middle class that has discovered nimbyism. That worries the government, which fears that environmental activism could become the foundation for more general political opposition. It is therefore dealing with pollution in two ways—suppression and mitigation.2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
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Usually, With "life" To live or experience (a particular way of life).
That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Timothy 2:2:
Nor thou with shadow'd hint confuse / A life that leads melodious days.1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXXIII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
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Follow me now and you will not regret / Leaving the life you led before we met. / You are the first to have this love of mine, / Forever with me till the end of time.1969, “N.I.B.”, in John Osbourne (lyrics), Black Sabbath, performed by Black Sabbath:
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Used in phrasal verbs: lead off, lead on, lead out, lead to (“be the cause of, bring about”), lead up, lead up to.
Etymology From Middle English leden, from Old English lǣdan (“to lead”), from Proto-West Germanic *laidijan, from Proto-Germanic *laidijaną (“to cause one to go, lead”), causative of Proto-Germanic *līþaną (“to go”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyt- (“to leave, die”). Cognate with West Frisian liede (“to lead”), Dutch leiden (“to lead”), German leiten (“to lead”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål lede (“to lead”), Norwegian Nynorsk leia (“to lead”), Swedish leda (“to lead”), Faroese and Icelandic leiða (“to lead”). Related to Old English līþan (“to go, travel”).
The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction, course
to take the lead
to be under the lead of another
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At the time I speak of, and having a momentary lead, […] I am sure I did my country important service.1796, Edmund Burke, A Letter from the Right Honourable Edmund Burke to a Noble Lord, on the Attacks Made upon Him and His Pension, […], London: […] J. Owen, […], and F[rancis] and C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC:
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Precedence; advance position; also, the measure of precedence; the state of being ahead in a race; the highest score in an incomplete game.
the white horse had the lead.
to be in the lead
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She lost the lead.
Smith managed to extend her lead over the second place to half a second.
Blackburn then regained the lead with a simplest of set-piece goals2010 December 28, Kevin Darlin, “West Brom 1 – 3 Blackburn”, in BBC Sport:
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UK An insulated metallic wire for electrical devices and equipment.
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Ball games, Baseball, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports The situation where a runner steps away from a base while waiting for the pitch to be thrown.
The runner took his lead from first.
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Card games, Dominoes, Games The act or right of playing first in a game or round; the card suit, or piece, so played
"You make moving pictures. In jungles and places." "That's me. And I've picked you for the lead in my next picture."1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 43:
A rope, leather strap, or similar device with which to lead an animal; a leash
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In a steam engine, the width of port opening which is uncovered by the valve, for the admission or release of steam, at the instant when the piston is at end of its stroke.
Usage note: When used alone it means outside lead, or lead for the admission of steam. Inside lead refers to the release or exhaust.
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Civil engineering, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences The distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment.
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Hobbies, Horology, Lifestyle The action of a tooth, such as a tooth of a wheel, in impelling another tooth or a pallet.
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Hypothesis that has not been pursued
The investigation stalled when all leads turned out to be dead ends.
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Information obtained by a detective or police officer that allows him or her to discover further details about a crime or incident.
The police have a couple of leads they will follow to solve the case.
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Business, Marketing Potential opportunity for a sale or transaction, a potential customer.
Joe is a great addition to our sales team, he has numerous leads in the paper industry.
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Information obtained by a news reporter about an issue or subject that allows him or her to discover more details.
Journalism, MediaUS The introductory paragraph or paragraphs of a newspaper, or a news or other type of article. (Sometimes spelled as lede for this usage to avoid ambiguity.)
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An important news story that appears on the front page of a newspaper or at the beginning of a news broadcast
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Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences The axial distance a screw thread travels in one revolution. It is equal to the pitch times the number of starts.
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music In a barbershop quartet, the person who sings the melody, usually the second tenor.
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music The announcement by one voice part of a theme to be repeated by the other parts.
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music A mark or a short passage in one voice part, as of a canon, serving as a cue for the entrance of others.
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music A primary synth, often composed of square, sawtooth, triangle or sine waveforms.
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Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences The excess above a right angle in the angle between two consecutive cranks, as of a compound engine, on the same shaft.