lead

/lˈɛd/

Explore definitions, synonyms, and language insights of lead

Definitions

Noun
an advantage held by a competitor in a race; "he took the lead at the last turn"
Noun
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"
Noun
evidence pointing to a possible solution; "the police are following a promising lead"; "the trail led straight to the perpetrator"
Noun
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"
Noun
the angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)
Noun
the introductory section of a story; "it was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matter"
Noun
(sports) the score by which a team or individual is winning
Noun
an actor who plays a principal role
Noun
(baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base; "he took a long lead off first"
Noun
an indication of potential opportunity; "he got a tip on the stock market"; "a good lead for a job"
Noun
a news story of major importance
Noun
the timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine
Noun
restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal
Noun
thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing
Noun
mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil
Noun
a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire; "it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads"
Noun
the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge; "the lead was in the dummy"
Verb
take somebody somewhere; "We lead him to our chief"; "can you take me to the main entrance?"; "He conducted us to the palace"
Verb
have as a result or residue; "The water left a mark on the silk dress"; "Her blood left a stain on the napkin"
Verb
tend to or result in; "This remark lead to further arguments among the guests"
Verb
travel in front of; go in advance of others; "The procession was headed by John"
Verb
cause to undertake a certain action; "Her greed led her to forge the checks"
Verb
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"
Verb
be in charge of; "Who is heading this project?"
Verb
be ahead of others; be the first; "she topped her class every year"
Verb
be conducive to; "The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing"
Verb
lead, as in the performance of a composition; "conduct an orchestra; Barenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for years"
Verb
lead, extend, or afford access; "This door goes to the basement"; "The road runs South"
Verb
move ahead (of others) in time or space
Verb
cause something to pass or lead somewhere; "Run the wire behind the cabinet"
Verb
preside over; "John moderated the discussion"

Antonyms