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lead

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Lead means showing someone or something the way or how to do something. (verb)

An example of lead is being the first car in a convoy.
An example of lead is a partner guiding another through a dance.

A lead is the person in charge or the person or thing in the first place. (noun)

An example of lead is an actor with the starring role in a play.
An example of lead is the first float in a parade.

Lead is a heavy, soft, flexible metal. (noun)

An example of lead is the strips used to hold in the panes of a decorative window.
An example of lead is the base of paints used in homes built before 1978.

See lead in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb led, leading

1. to show the way to, or direct the course of, by going before or along with; conduct; guide
2. to show (the way) in this manner
3. to mark the way for: lights to lead you there
to guide, or cause to follow one, by physical contact, holding the hand, pulling a rope, etc.: to lead a horse by the bridle
to conduct (water, steam, rope, etc.) in a certain direction, channel, or the like
1. to guide or direct, as by persuasion or influence, to a course of action or thought: to lead pupils to think clearly
2. to cause; prompt: trouble that led him to drink
to be the head of; specif.,
1. to proceed at the front of (a parade, etc.)
2. to act as chief officer of; command the operations of (a military unit)
3. to direct operations of (an expedition, etc.)
4. to direct, conduct, or serve as the leader or conductor of (an orchestra, ballet, etc.)
1. to be the first or foremost among; be at the head of: to lead one's class in grades
2. to be ahead of by a specified margin
1. to live; spend; pass: to lead a hard life
2. to cause to live or spend: to lead someone a dog's life
to aim a rifle, throw a ball, etc. just ahead of (a moving target or receiver)
Card Games to begin the play with (a specified card or suit); lay down as the first card or suit of a hand or round

intransitive verb

to show the way by going before or along; act as guide
to be led; submit to being led: said esp. of a horse
to be or form a way (to, from, under, etc.); tend in a certain direction; go
to come, or bring one, as a result: with to: one thing led to another, a cold can lead to pneumonia
to be or go first; act as leader
☆ Boxing to aim a first blow or one designed to test an opponent's defense: to lead with a right jab
Card Games to play the first card of a hand or round

noun

the part of director or leader; leadership: to take the lead in a project
example: follow my lead
1. first or front place; precedence: the horse in the lead
2. the amount or distance that one is ahead: to hold a safe lead
leash (sense )
anything that leads or serves as a clue
information that directs a salesperson to a potential customer, a source of new business, etc.
a long, narrow, navigable passage in an ice pack or ice field
1. the most important news story, as in a newspaper or telecast
2. the opening words or paragraph of a news story, containing all the essential facts of the story
☆ Baseball a position taken by a base runner a short distance from his or her base in the direction of the next
☆ Boxing the act of leading, or the blow used
Card Games the act or right of playing first, as in a hand, or the card or suit played
Elec. a wire carrying current between two points in a circuit, between devices, etc.
☆ Mining a stratum of ore; lode, ledge, or vein
Music the leading part or main melody in a harmonic composition
Naut. the course of a rope
Theater
1. the principal role, or a main role, in a play or other production
2. the actor or actress who plays such a role

adjective

acting as leader or being the leader: the lead horse, the lead runner in a race

noun

a heavy, soft, malleable, bluish-gray metallic chemical element used in batteries and in numerous alloys and compounds: symbol, Pb; at. no., 82
anything made of this metal; specif.,
1. a weight for measuring depth of water at sea, in a harbor, etc.: it is attached to a line and tossed over the side of a ship
2. any of the strips of lead used to hold the individual panes in ornamental windows: usually used in pl.
3. Brit. sheets of lead used for covering a roof
4. Printing a thin strip of type metal inserted to increase the space between lines of type
bullets
a thin stick of graphite, used in pencils

adjective

made of or containing lead

transitive verb

to cover, line, weight, or fasten with lead or leads
Ceramics to glaze (pottery) with a glaze made primarily of lead
Printing to increase the space between (lines of type) by inserting thin strips of type metal

See lead in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(lēd)

verb led led (lĕd), lead·ing, leads

verb, transitive

To show the way to by going in advance.
To guide or direct in a course: lead a horse by the halter. See Synonyms at guide.
a. To serve as a route for; take: The path led them to a cemetery.
b. To be a channel or conduit for (water or electricity, for example).
To guide the behavior or opinion of; induce: led us to believe otherwise.
a. To direct the performance or activities of: lead an orchestra.
b. To inspire the conduct of: led the nation in its crisis.
To play a principal or guiding role in: lead a discussion; led the antiwar movement.
a. To go or be at the head of: The queen led the procession. My name led the list.
b. To be ahead of: led the runner-up by three strides.
c. To be foremost in or among: led the field in nuclear research; led her teammates in free throws.
To pass or go through; live: lead an independent life.
To begin or open with, as in games: led an ace.
To guide (a partner) in dancing.
a. To aim in front of (a moving target).
b. Sports To pass a ball or puck ahead of (a moving teammate) so that the player can receive the pass without changing direction or losing momentum.

verb, intransitive

To be first; be ahead.
To go first as a guide.
To act as commander, director, or guide.
To afford a passage, course, or route: a road that leads over the mountains; a door leading to the pantry.
To tend toward a certain goal or result: a remark that led to further discussion; policies that led to disaster.
To make the initial play, as in a game or contest.
To begin a presentation or an account in a given way: The announcer led with the day's top stories.
a. To guide a dance partner.
b. To start a dance step on a specified foot.
Baseball To advance a few paces away from one's base toward the next while the pitcher is in the delivery. Used of a base runner.
Sports To begin an attack in boxing with a specified hand or punch: led with a right to the body.

noun

a. The first or foremost position.
b. One occupying such a position; a leader.
c. The initiative: took the lead in setting the pace of the project.
The margin by which one holds a position of advantage or superiority: held a lead of nine points at the half.
a. Information pointing toward a possible solution; a clue: followed a promising lead in the murder case.
b. An indication of potential opportunity; a tip: a good lead for a job.
Command; leadership: took over the lead of the company.
An example; a precedent: followed his sister's lead in running for office.
a. The principal role in a dramatic production.
b. The person playing such a role.
a. The introductory portion of a news story.
b. An important, usually prominently displayed news story.
Games
a. The first play.
b. The prerogative or turn to make the first play: The lead passes to the player on the left.
c. A card played first in a round.
Baseball A position taken by a base runner away from one base in the direction of the next.
Sports A blow in boxing that begins a series or exchange of punches.
A leash.
Geology
a. A deposit of gold ore in an old riverbed.
b. See lode.
Electronics A conductor by which one circuit element is electrically connected to another.
Nautical The direction in which a line runs.
The distance aimed in front of a moving target.
A channel of open water created by a break in a mass of ice.

adjective

First or foremost: the lead leg on a surfboard.
Most important: the lead author of a research paper.

Phrasal Verbs: lead off To begin; start. Baseball To be the first batter in an inning. lead on To keep in a state of expectation or hope; entice. To mislead; deceive.

(lĕd)

noun

Symbol Pb A soft, malleable, ductile, bluish-white, dense metallic element, extracted chiefly from galena and used in containers and pipes for corrosives, solder and type metal, bullets, radiation shielding, paints, and antiknock compounds. Atomic number 82; atomic weight 207.2; melting point 327.5°C; boiling point 1,744°C; specific gravity 11.35; valence 2, 4. See Table at element.
A lead weight suspended by a line, used to make soundings.
Bullets from or for firearms; shot: pumped the target full of lead.
leads Strips of lead used to hold the panes of a window.
Abbr. ld. Printing A thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type.
leads Chiefly British A flat roof covered with sheets of lead.
a. Any of various, often graphitic compositions used as the writing substance in pencils.
b. A thin stick of such material.