26984 words

leads

45 definitions • 76 examples
1
to control a group of people, a country, or a situation:

Examples:

I think we've chosen the right person to lead the expedition.
I've asked Gemma to lead the discussion.
Who will be leading the inquiry into the accident?
2
(especially in sports or other competitions) to be in front, to be first, or to be winning:

Examples:

lead by After 30 minutes the challengers were leading by two goals.
With two laps to go Ngomo led by less than two seconds.
The Lions are leading the Hawks 28–9.
3
to cause someone to do something, especially something bad:

Examples:

[ + to infinitive ] The brochure led me to believe that the price included home delivery.
be easily led It's worrying that such a prominent politician is so easily led.
lead someone astray He was a weak man, led astray by ambition.
4
to show the way to a group of people, animals, vehicles, etc. by going in front of them:

Examples:

I don't know the way, so you'd better lead.
If you lead in the jeep, we'll follow behind on the horses.
5
To lead a group of moving people or vehicles is to walk or drive in front of them:

Examples:

6
to take someone somewhere, by going with them:

Examples:

She led them down the hall.
lead someone to something The waiter led us to our table.
Our guide led us through the mountains.
7
to take hold of a person or animal and take him, her, or it somewhere:

Examples:

She took the child by the hand and led him upstairs to bed.
He led the horse out of the stable.
8
to show the way by going in front:

Examples:

You've been there before - why don't you lead the way?
9
to make more progress than other people in the development of something:

Examples:

lead the way in The company has been leading the way in network applications for several years.
10
(especially of roads, paths, doors, signs, information, etc.) to go in a particular direction or have a particular result, or to allow or cause this:

Examples:

lead to There's a track that leads directly to the reservoir.
lead out onto The door leads out onto a wide, shady terrace.
lead into A narrow trail of blood led directly into the cave.
lead someone to something This information led the police to a house near the harbour.
11
to live a particular type of life:

Examples:

He was able to lead a normal life, despite the illness.
12
in sports and activities, to move forward first with a particular part of your body, especially as a habit:

Examples:

lead with You can lead with your left or right leg, depending on which feels more comfortable.
He was booked for leading with his elbow (= running into an opposing football player and hitting them with an elbow).
13
in boxing, to make a first attacking punch (= hit), especially with a particular hand:

Examples:

lead with They're used to fighting against boxers who lead with their right.
14
a winning position during a race or other situation where people are competing:

Examples:

in the lead For the first time in the race, Harrison is in the lead.
move into the lead With a final burst of speed she moved into the lead.
go into the lead United almost went into the lead in the first five minutes.
take the lead After last night's win, Johnson has taken the lead in the championship table.
lead of By the end of the day's play Davies had a lead of three points.
15
the act of showing a person or group of people what to do:

Examples:

follow someone’s lead We'll go through the dance routine again - follow my lead (= do what I do).
16
a piece of information that allows a discovery to be made or a solution to be found:

Examples:

A lead from an informer enabled the police to make several arrests.
17
the main part or actor in a film or play:

Examples:

Who's been cast as the lead?
Meryl Streep was the lead in that year's Oscar-winning film.
19
a piece of rope, chain, etc. tied to an animal, especially to a dog at its collar when taking it for a walk:

Examples:

on a lead Please keep your dog on a lead when on the beach.
20
in boxing, a first attacking punch (= hit) by a fighter :

Examples:

A right-hand lead by Haye caught Ruiz on the chin.
21
used to describe the main performer or part in a performance:

Examples:

lead role Who played the lead role in the film?
The lead guitarist was good.
22
a chemical element that is a very heavy, soft, dark grey, poisonous metal, used especially in the past on roofs and for pipes and also for protection against radiation:

Examples:

23
(the narrow strip of) coloured material, usually black and made of graphite, in the centre of a pencil
24
to manage or control a group of people; to be the person who makes decisions that other people choose to follow or obey:

Examples:

Her sister is leading an effort to change this law.
I’ve asked George to lead the discussion.
25
to show the way to someone or something, esp. by going first:

Examples:

[ T ] She led the children along the path out of the forest.
[ T ] That research group leads the way in the development of new software.
[ T ] Just follow the signs and they will lead you to the exit.
26
If something such as a road or sign leads somewhere, it goes toward something else or shows you how to get to a particular place:

Examples:

[ I ] A flight of narrow stairs leads to the kitchen.
27
to prepare the way for something to happen; cause:

Examples:

[ I ] Ten years of scientific research led to the development of the new drug.
[ T ] Discussions with lawyers led him to believe that the company would not sue him.
28
(esp. in sports or other competitions) to be in front, be first, or be winning:

Examples:

[ I/T ] With only three minutes to go in the football game, New Orleans led (Dallas), 24 to 21.
29
to live a particular type of life:

Examples:

She retired to Florida and still leads a busy life.
30
a leash
31
A lead is also the amount or distance by which someone is in front:

Examples:

After five games, she was still ahead by a point in the chess tournament, but her lead was shrinking.
32
a piece of information that allows a discovery to be made or a solution to be found:

Examples:

33
a dense, soft, dark gray metal, used esp. in combination with other metals and in batteries (= devices that produce electricity):

Examples:

Lead pipes in many older houses have been replaced by copper ones.
fig. The day after running a marathon, my legs felt like lead (= heavy and tired).
34
the black writing material made of graphite, used esp. in the center of a pencil
35
to be in charge of a group of people, an organization, or a situation:

Examples:

They led a management buy-out of the business, raising €10m in capital.
She has been promoted to lead a team that focuses on product development.
He leads the company's worldwide marketing and sales division.
36
to be in front, be first, or be winning in a particular situation or area of business:

Examples:

37
to happen before something else happens:
38
to influence someone to do something:

Examples:

lead sb/sth to do sth Sharply lower profit has led the company to begin an aggressive cost-cutting plan.
39
to be actively involved in what you are encouraging others to do:

Examples:

The chairman needs to lead from the front and try to resolve the conflicts.
40
to be better or more successful than other people or things:

Examples:

For ISAs, building societies again led the pack, with 16 of the 20 top-paying providers.
41
to make more progress than other people in the development of something:

Examples:

lead the way in/on sth The nation's largest state has led the way in higher education and energy conservation.
Experts said women tend to lead the way on issues related to health.
42
a winning position in a situation in which people are competing:

Examples:

give sb/sth a lead The brand will give the company a commanding lead in the important new sector.
have/increase/maintain a lead (over sb/sth) The group's market share rose to 42.9%, increasing its lead over their arch-rival, which has 37.6%.
43
an action or example that shows a person or group what to do:

Examples:

Most competitors will in any case be only too happy to follow the company's lead in raising prices.
take a lead from sb/sth We could take a lead from Finland, where a government programme has dramatically raised the intake of fruit and vegetables.
take a lead on sth The supermarket group took a lead on GM food labelling.
44
a piece of information that allows a discovery to be made, customers to be found, or a solution to be found:

Examples:

Our business meeting gave me lots of good leads.
45
most important among a group of people, products, etc.:

Examples:

a lead company/product The company's lead product for lung and certain blood cancers is in Phase II trials in humans.
The lead negotiator for the teachers' union said he wasn't surprised by the vote.
play a lead role in sth They have played a lead role in the fast and furious growth of e-commerce.

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