Lead Definition
lead
- 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; "the police are following a promising lead"; "the trail led straight to the perpetrator"
- 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"
- 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; "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
- (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; "he got a tip on the stock market"; "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
- thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing
- 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; "We lead him to our chief"; "can you take me to the main entrance?"; "He conducted us to the palace"
- have as a result or residue; "The water left a mark on the silk dress"; "Her blood left a stain on the napkin"
- tend to or result in; "This remark lead to further arguments among the guests"
- travel in front of; go in advance of others; "The procession was headed by John"
- cause to undertake a certain action; "Her greed led her to forge the checks"
- 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"
- be in charge of; "Who is heading this project?"
- be ahead of others; be the first; "she topped her class every year"
- be conducive to; "The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing"
- lead, as in the performance of a composition; "conduct an orchestra; Barenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for years"
- lead, extend, or afford access; "This door goes to the basement"; "The road runs South"
- move ahead (of others) in time or space
- cause something to pass or lead somewhere; "Run the wire behind the cabinet"
- preside over; "John moderated the discussion"
"Lead" in song lyrics
See how lead is used in real songs:
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"All hoes on the life I lead"
11/5 — Garcia Vegas -
"Throw staples in they head, dump lead"
1982 (Statik Selektah & Termanology) f/ Lil' Fame (M.O.P.) — Thugathon -
"Instead of tryina get away from the lead"
4 Deep — Takin' No Bull
Words that rhyme with lead
Usage tips for "lead"
Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "lead" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for lead to find words that pair well.