Meaning of 'lead'

verb

move ahead (of others) in time or space

Synonyms: precede

verb

travel in front of

Synonyms: head

verb

take somebody somewhere

Example: "We lead the prisoner to our chief."

Synonyms: take

verb

be in charge of

Synonyms: head

verb

be conducive to

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

Synonyms: contribute

verb

have as a result or residue

Synonyms: leave

verb

tend to or result in

Example: "This remark lead to further arguments among the guests"

verb

stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope

Synonyms: pass

verb

lead, extend, or afford access

Synonyms: go

verb

cause something to pass or lead somewhere

Synonyms: run

verb

be ahead of others

Synonyms: top

noun

the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge

Example: "the lead was in the dummy"

noun

a position of leadership, especially in the phrase 'take the lead'

Example: "They take the lead in any group."

noun

a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire

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

Synonyms: jumper cable jumper lead booster cable

noun

mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness

Synonyms: pencil lead

noun

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

Synonyms: leading

noun

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

Synonyms: leash

noun

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

Synonyms: spark advance

noun

an advantage held by a competitor in a race

Example: "The runner took the lead at the last turn."

noun

evidence pointing to a possible solution

Example: "the police are following a promising lead"

Synonyms: track

noun

the introductory section of a story

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

Synonyms: lead-in lede

noun

a news story of major importance

Synonyms: lead story

noun

an indication of potential opportunity

Synonyms: wind

noun

in baseball or softball, the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base

Example: "The baserunner took a long lead off first."

noun

an actor who plays a principal role

Synonyms: star principal

noun

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

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

a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element

verb

cause to undertake a certain action

verb

preside over

Synonyms: chair

verb

lead, as in the performance of a composition

Synonyms: conduct