lead

lead1 [ lid ] (past tense and past participle led [ led ] ) verb ***

▸ 1 go in front of group

▸ 2 be winning/first/best

▸ 3 control group/activity

▸ 4 make want to do/believe

▸ 5 live life particular way

▸ 6 begin part of card game

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) intransitive or transitive to walk, drive, fly, sail, etc. in front of a group of people, vehicles, planes, ships, etc.:

Leading the mourners were his widow and 14-year-old daughter.

She led and the rest of us followed.

lead someone into something: He led his men into battle.

a ) transitive lead into/through/from/toward/down/along to show someone the way to a place by going there with them:

After showing us the dining room, the real estate agent led us into the kitchen.

lead the way (=show others the way to a place): Sheila turned and led the way downstairs.

b ) transitive lead into/through/from etc. to take or pull a person or animal somewhere by holding onto them or onto something fastened to them:

She took the boy by the hand and led him from the room.

Dismounting, I led the horse by the reins back to the stable.

c ) intransitive or transitive lead to/down/through etc. if something such as a road, river, or door leads in a particular direction or to a particular place, or if it leads you there, it goes in that direction or to that place:

The pipe leads from the water heater to the bathroom upstairs.

We followed a dirt track leading through the woods.

The road leads west for three miles, then turns south.

This door leads you to a large entrance hall.

a narrow alleyway leading off High Street

2. ) intransitive or transitive to be winning at a particular time during a race or competition:

The polls show the Republicans leading with only 10 days left until the election.

lead someone by something: The Giants led the Lions at the half by a score of 10 to 7.

lead the field: Johnson led the field throughout the final day of the race.

a ) intransitive or transitive to be the most successful, popular, or advanced of all the people, groups, organizations, etc. involved in a particular activity:

lead the world (in something): They lead the world in oil production.

lead the field: New York still leads the field as the top American vacation destination.

b ) lead the way to be the first to do something, especially to achieve success, and to show others how to do it:

It is a country that has always led the way with its conservation policies.

3. ) transitive to be in control of an organization, group of people, or activity:

She led the software development team during the project.

a ) intransitive or transitive to be in control of the way in which a discussion or conversation develops:

I asked Ned to lead the discussion.

4. ) transitive to cause someone to do something:

lead someone to do something: The State Department's chief negotiator said differences over foreign policy had led him to resign.

I had been led to believe that the job was mine if I wanted it.

a ) be easily led to be easily persuaded to do or believe something

5. ) transitive to live your life in a particular way:

lead a good/happy/busy/quiet etc. life: He had always led a quiet life until he met Emma.

6. ) intransitive or transitive to begin a part of a card game by playing a particular card:

He led an ace of hearts.

lead with: She led with the eight of spades.

lead nowhere

to have no successful or useful result:

All his months of hard work had led nowhere.

`lead into phrasal verb transitive

lead into something same as LEAD TO 3:

Discussion of a client's tax affairs will lead naturally into consideration of investment options.

,lead `off phrasal verb intransitive or transitive

to begin something by doing or saying something:

The Prime Minister had invited the President to lead off the press conference.

lead something off with something: She led off the afternoon with questions from the audience.

,lead `on phrasal verb transitive

lead someone on to encourage someone to do something or expect something, especially by lying to them or promising them something they cannot have:

I hope he's not just leading her on, because I'd hate to see her get hurt.

`lead to phrasal verb transitive

1. ) lead onto lead to something to begin a process that causes something to happen:

There is no doubt that stress can lead to physical illness.

a process of negotiation leading to a peaceful settlement

2. ) lead to something/lead someone to something to make someone think something:

The evidence leads me to a different conclusion.

3. ) lead into lead to something/lead someone to something if something such as an idea or subject leads to another, the second one is a natural result of the first one:

Your question leads me to another point.

=> THING

,lead `up to or lead up to something phrasal verb transitive

1. ) if events, problems, actions, etc. lead up to an important event, they happen one after another in a way that makes it possible for the event to happen:

The negotiations leading up to the contract were very tough.

2. ) to happen or exist immediately before something:

In the weeks leading up to graduation I did very little.

3. ) to gradually direct a conversation toward a particular subject, especially one that is difficult or embarrassing:

I knew he was leading up to something, but I had no idea what.

`lead with phrasal verb transitive

1. ) lead with something, lead something with something to begin a speech, news broadcast, story, etc., with a particular story or subject:

We'll lead with the President's visit to China.

2. ) lead with something to begin an attack in BOXING with a particular hand or hit:

He led with a right jab.

lead

lead 2 [ lid ] noun ***

▸ 1 first position

▸ 2 main part or actor

▸ 3 for helping learn truth

▸ 4 action that is example

▸ 5 first piece of news

▸ 6 organization leadership

▸ 7 for controlling dog

▸ 8 electrical wire

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) singular the first position at a particular time during a race or competition:

He regained his lead in the final lap of the race.

in the lead (=winning): The latest polls show the Democratic candidate in the lead.

take the lead (=start winning): The Rangers took an early lead with a goal in the fourth minute.

have/hold the lead (=be winning): The Packers have the lead after the first quarter.

a ) singular the distance, amount of time, number of points, etc. by which someone is winning a race or competition:

a narrow/big lead

They increased their lead by three points on the next play.

have a lead of: The Spanish rider has a lead of 35 seconds over his nearest rival.

2. ) count the main part for an actor in a play, movie, or television show:

play the lead (in something): She's playing the lead in her school play.

a ) count the main actor in a play, movie, or television show:

the male/female lead: Glenn Close was chosen as the female lead.

b ) only before noun a lead singer, dancer, guitar, etc. is the main singer, dancer, guitar player, etc. in a group

3. ) count a piece of information that may help someone to solve a problem or find out the truth about something, especially a crime:

The investigation will be scaled down unless new leads are discovered.

4. ) count an action that is an example for someone to copy:

follow someone's lead: North Korea is to follow China's lead in attracting foreign capital and expertise.

5. ) count the most important story on the front page of a newspaper, or the first piece of news on a news broadcast:

the lead on all of today's front pages

a lead story: It was the lead story on the evening news.

6. ) singular AMERICAN the management or leadership of an organization or company:

She took over the lead of the corporation after her father's death.

7. ) count MAINLY BRITISH a LEASH for a dog

8. ) count BRITISH an electrical CORD

someone's lead

someone's right to begin a part of a card game by playing one of their cards first

take the lead

1. ) to start winning a race or competition:

She took the lead ten miles into the marathon.

2. ) to accept responsibility for dealing with a situation:

The United States took the lead in trying to salvage a deal at the peace talks.

3. ) to do something as an example for others to follow:

American farmers took the lead by sending tons of grain to the drought-stricken areas.

lead

lead 3 [ led ] noun *

1. ) uncount a soft heavy gray metal used especially in the past for making pipes, covering roofs, and in paint:

lead pipes

2. ) count or uncount the long thin black center part of a pencil that you make marks with

3. ) leads plural small narrow pieces of lead used as frames for small pieces of glass in a window

get the lead out AMERICAN INFORMAL

to move or do something more quickly than previously

pump/fill someone full of lead INFORMAL

to shoot someone with a number of bullets