lead meaning and definition

LEAD noun

Definition of lead (noun)

1. an advantage held by a competitor in a race
   • "he took the lead at the last turn"
2. 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"
   • synonyms: atomic number 82, Pb
3. evidence pointing to a possible solution
   • "the police are following a promising lead"; "the trail led straight to the perpetrator"
   • synonyms: track, trail
4. a position of leadership (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"
5. the angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)
6. the introductory section of a story
   • "it was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matter"
   • synonyms: lead-in, lede
7. (sports) the score by which a team or individual is winning
   • antonym: deficit
8. an actor who plays a principal role
   • synonyms: principal, star
9. (baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base
   • "he took a long lead off first"
10. an indication of potential opportunity
    • "he got a tip on the stock market"; "a good lead for a job"
    • synonyms: confidential information, hint, steer, tip, wind
11. a news story of major importance
    • synonyms: lead story
12. the timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine
    • synonyms: spark advance
13. restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal
    • synonyms: leash, tether
14. thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing
    • synonyms: leading
15. mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil
    • synonyms: pencil lead
16. a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire
    • "it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads"
    • synonyms: booster cable, jumper cable, jumper lead
17. the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge
    • "the lead was in the dummy"

LEAD verb

Definition of lead (verb)

1. take somebody somewhere
   • "We lead him to our chief"; "can you take me to the main entrance?"; "He conducted us to the palace"
   • synonyms: conduct, direct, guide, take
2. have as a result or residue
   • "The water left a mark on the silk dress"; "Her blood left a stain on the napkin"
   • synonyms: leave, result
3. tend to or result in
   • "This remark lead to further arguments among the guests"
4. travel in front of; go in advance of others
   • "The procession was headed by John"
   • synonyms: head
5. cause to undertake a certain action
   • "Her greed led her to forge the checks"
6. stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point
   • "Service runs all the way to Cranbury"; "His knowledge doesn't go very far"; "My memory extends back to my fourth year of life"; "The facts extend beyond a consideration of her personal assets"
   • synonyms: extend, go, pass, run
7. be in charge of
   • "Who is heading this project?"
   • synonyms: head
8. be ahead of others; be the first
   • "she topped her class every year"
   • synonyms: top
9. be conducive to
   • "The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing"
   • synonyms: conduce, contribute
10. lead, as in the performance of a composition
    • "conduct an orchestra; Barenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for years"
    • synonyms: conduct, direct
11. lead, extend, or afford access
    • "This door goes to the basement"; "The road runs South"
    • synonyms: go
12. move ahead (of others) in time or space
    • synonyms: precede
    • antonym: follow
13. cause something to pass or lead somewhere
    • "Run the wire behind the cabinet"
    • synonyms: run
14. preside over
    • "John moderated the discussion"
    • synonyms: chair, moderate