lead

Definitions

1. 1noun

   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.

2. 2noun

   An article made of lead or an alloy of lead

3. 3noun

   A plummet or mass of lead, used in sounding at sea.

4. 4noun

   A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.

5. 5noun

   Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs; hence, pl., a roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.

6. 6noun

   A small cylinder of black lead or plumbago, used in pencils.

7. 7transitive verb

   To cover, fill, or affect with lead; as, continuous firing leads the grooves of a rifle.

8. 8transitive verb

   To place leads between the lines of; as, to lead a page; leaded matter.

9. 9transitive verb

   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.

10. 10transitive verb

    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.

11. 11transitive verb

    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.

12. 12transitive verb

    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.

13. 13transitive verb

    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.

14. 14transitive verb

    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).

15. 15transitive verb

    To begin a game, round, or trick, with; as, to lead trumps; the double five was led.

16. 16intransitive verb

    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.

17. 17transitive verb

    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.

18. 18noun

    The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction; as, to take the lead; to be under the lead of another.

19. 19noun

    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.

20. 20noun

    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.

21. 21noun

    An open way in an ice field.

22. 22noun

    A lode.

23. 23noun

    The course of a rope from end to end.

24. 24noun

    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.

25. 25noun

    the distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment.

26. 26noun

    The action of a tooth, as a tooth of a wheel, in impelling another tooth or a pallet.

27. 27noun

    the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge

    "the lead was in the dummy"

28. 28noun

    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"

29. 29noun

    a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire

    "it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads"

30. 30noun

    mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil

31. 31noun

    thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing

    Synonyms

    leading
32. 32noun

    restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal

    Synonyms

    leashtether
33. 33noun

    the timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine

34. 34noun

    an advantage held by a competitor in a race

    "he took the lead at the last turn"

35. 35noun

    evidence pointing to a possible solution

    "the police are following a promising lead"

    "the trail led straight to the perpetrator"

    Synonyms

    tracktrail
36. 36noun

    the introductory section of a story

    "it was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matter"

    Synonyms

    lede
37. 37noun

    a news story of major importance

38. 38noun

    an indication of potential opportunity

    "he got a tip on the stock market"

    "a good lead for a job"

    Synonyms

    hintsteertipwind
39. 39noun

    (baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base

    "he took a long lead off first"

40. 40noun

    an actor who plays a principal role

    Synonyms

    principalstar
41. 41noun

    (sports) the score by which a team or individual is winning

42. 42noun

    the angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)

43. 43noun

    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"

44. 44verb

    cause to undertake a certain action

    "Her greed led her to forge the checks"

45. 45verb

    preside over

    "John moderated the discussion"

    Synonyms

    chairmoderate
46. 46verb

    lead, as in the performance of a composition

    "conduct an orchestra; Barenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for years"

    Synonyms

    conductdirect
47. 47verb

    move ahead (of others) in time or space

    Synonyms

    precede
48. 48verb

    travel in front of; go in advance of others

    "The procession was headed by John"

    Synonyms

    head
49. 49verb

    take somebody somewhere

    "We lead him to our chief"

    "can you take me to the main entrance?"

    Synonyms

    conductdirectguidetake
50. 50verb

    be in charge of

    "Who is heading this project?"

    Synonyms

    head
51. 51verb

    be conducive to

    "The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing"

    Synonyms

    conducecontribute
52. 52verb

    have as a result or residue

    "The water left a mark on the silk dress"

    "Her blood left a stain on the napkin"

    Synonyms

    leaveresult
53. 53verb

    tend to or result in

    "This remark lead to further arguments among the guests"

54. 54verb

    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"

    Synonyms

    extendgopassrun
55. 55verb

    lead, extend, or afford access

    "This door goes to the basement"

    "The road runs South"

    Synonyms

    go
56. 56verb

    cause something to pass or lead somewhere

    "Run the wire behind the cabinet"

    Synonyms

    run
57. 57verb

    be ahead of others; be the first

    "she topped her class every year"

    Synonyms

    top