Meaning of 'lead' (Webster Dictionary)
- One of the elements, a heavy, pliable, inelastic metal,
having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished. It is both
malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity, and is used for
tubes, sheets, bullets, etc. Its specific gravity is 11.37. It is
easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of
solder and type metal. Atomic weight, 206.4. Symbol Pb (L. Plumbum). It
is chiefly obtained from the mineral galena, lead sulphide.
- An article made of lead or an alloy of lead
- A plummet or mass of lead, used in sounding at sea.
- A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in
printing.
- Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs; hence,
pl., a roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.
- A small cylinder of black lead or plumbago, used in pencils.
- The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction; as, to
take the lead; to be under the lead of another.
- precedence; advance position; also, the measure of
precedence; as, the white horse had the lead; a lead of a boat's
length, or of half a second.
- The act or right of playing first in a game or round; the
card suit, or piece, so played; as, your partner has the lead.
- An open way in an ice field.
- A lode.
- The course of a rope from end to end.
- 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.
- the distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment.
- The action of a tooth, as a tooth of a wheel, in impelling
another tooth or a pallet.
- 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 lead, v. t.
- To cover, fill, or affect with lead; as, continuous firing
leads the grooves of a rifle.
- To place leads between the lines of; as, to lead a page;
leaded matter.
- To guide or conduct with the hand, or by means of some
physical contact connection; as, a father leads a child; a jockey leads
a horse with a halter; a dog leads a blind man.
- To guide or conduct in a certain course, or to a certain
place or end, by making the way known; to show the way, esp. by going
with or going in advance of. Hence, figuratively: To direct; to
counsel; to instruct; as, to lead a traveler; to lead a pupil.
- To conduct or direct with authority; to have direction or
charge of; as, to lead an army, an exploring party, or a search; to
lead a political party.
- To go or to be in advance of; to precede; hence, to be
foremost or chief among; as, the big sloop led the fleet of yachts; the
Guards led the attack; Demosthenes leads the orators of all ages.
- To draw or direct by influence, whether good or bad; to
prevail on; to induce; to entice; to allure; as, to lead one to espouse
a righteous cause.
- To guide or conduct one's self in, through, or along (a
certain course); hence, to proceed in the way of; to follow the path or
course of; to pass; to spend. Also, to cause (one) to proceed or follow
in (a certain course).
- To begin a game, round, or trick, with; as, to lead
trumps; the double five was led.
- To tend or reach in a certain direction, or to a certain
place; as, the path leads to the mill; gambling leads to other vices.
Meaning of 'lead' (Princeton's WordNet)
Meaning (1):
- an indication of potential opportunity
Example in sentence:- a good lead for a job;
- he got a tip on the stock market
Meaning (2):
- a position of being the initiator of something and an example that others will follow (especially in the phrase `take the lead')
Example in sentence:- he takes the lead in any group;
- they didn't follow our lead;
- we were just waiting for someone to take the lead
Meaning (3):
- (baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base
Example in sentence:- he took a long lead off first
Meaning (4):
- an advantage held by a competitor in a race
Example in sentence:- he took the lead at the last turn
Meaning (5):
- a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire
Example in sentence:- it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads
Meaning (6):
- the introductory section of a story
Example in sentence:- it was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matter
Meaning (7):
- a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull grey
Example in sentence:- the children were playing with lead soldiers
Meaning (8):
- the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge
Example in sentence:- the lead was in the dummy
Meaning (9):
- evidence pointing to a possible solution
Example in sentence:- the police are following a promising lead;
- the trail led straight to the perpetrator
Meaning (10):
- take somebody somewhere
Example in sentence:- can you take me to the main entrance?;
- He conducted us to the palace;
- We lead him to our chief
Meaning (11):
- lead, as in the performance of a composition
Example in sentence:- conduct an orchestra; Barenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for years
Meaning (12):
- produce as a result or residue
Example in sentence:- Her blood left a stain on the napkin;
- The water left a mark on the silk dress
Meaning (13):
- cause to undertake a certain action
Example in sentence:- Her greed led her to forge the checks
Meaning (14):
- stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point
Example in sentence:- His knowledge doesn't go very far;
- My memory extends back to my fourth year of life;
- Service runs all the way to Cranbury;
- The facts extend beyond a consideration of her personal assets
Meaning (15):
- preside over
Example in sentence:- John moderated the discussion
Meaning (16):
- cause something to pass or lead somewhere
Example in sentence:- Run the wire behind the cabinet
Meaning (17):
- be ahead of others; be the first
Example in sentence:- she topped her class every year
Meaning (18):
- travel in front of; go in advance of others
Example in sentence:- The procession was headed by John
Meaning (19):
- lead, extend, or afford access
Example in sentence:- The road runs South;
- This door goes to the basement
Meaning (20):
- be conducive to
Example in sentence:- The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing
Meaning (21):
- tend to or result in
Example in sentence:- This remark lead to further arguments among the guests
Meaning (22):
- be in charge of
Example in sentence:- Who is heading this project?
Definition
[ n.]