Definition of lead - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
leadershiptr. be in charge or command oftr.
- He leads a company of 100 employees..
2.
effecttr. cause a particular result or outcometr.
- This decision could lead to success.
3.
guide actionstr. influence someone to do somethingtr.
- Her words led him to change his mind.
4.
directiontr./intr. show the way by going in fronttr./intr.
- The guide will lead us through the forest.
5.
competitionintr. be ahead in a race or competitionintr.
- They lead by ten points at halftime.
6.
lifestyletr. live a particular type of lifetr.
- She leads a very active life.
7.
initiationtr. begin or initiate an action or eventtr.
- He will lead the meeting today.
8.
tendencyintr. tend to a particular direction or placeintr.
- This path leads to the river.
Noun
1.
starring rolerole of the principal performer in a play or movie
- She landed the lead in the Broadway musical..
2.
leadershipinitiative in an action or task
- He took the lead on the project early on..
3.
chemistryheavy, soft, bluish-grey metal element
- Lead is used in car batteries.
4.
writingthe graphite core of a pencil
- The pencil's lead broke while writing.
5.
competitionposition of advantage or being ahead
- She took the lead in the race.
6.
cluepiece of information that helps solve a problem
- The detective followed a lead to solve the case.
7.
animal controlUK leash for controlling an animalUK
- She put the dog on a lead for the walk.
8.
electricityUK wire that carries electricityUK
- The lead connects the device to the power source.
9.
geographyTECH. channel of open water in iceTECH.
- The ship navigated through the lead in the ice field.
10.
gamesRare the right to play first in a gameRare
- He had the lead in the card game.
11.
printingDated thin strip of metal used in printingDated
- The printer used lead to separate the lines of text.
Images of lead
heavy, soft, bluish-grey metal element 
the graphite core of a pencil 
leash for controlling an animal 
wire that carries electricity 
channel of open water in ice 
thin strip of metal used in printing
Expressions with lead
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guide someone or something into a place
She will lead in the guests to the hall.
start or begin something
She will lead off the meeting with a quick introduction..
guide or direct someone forward
She will lead on the group through the mountain trail..
guide someone or something to exit a place
She will lead out the guests after dinner.
pursue or go after someone or something
The detective decided to follow the lead to solve the case.
allow someone to be ahead in a race or contest
The coach decided to give Maria a lead in the final lap.
be ahead in a competition or race
Our team has the lead in the final quarter.
leading or ahead in a competition
She is in the lead with ten points.
hold someone's hand and guide them somewhere
She will lead by the hand across the street.
to guide others by going in front
She led the way through the dense forest..
happen or be done before something important
Several meetings lead up to the main conference.
advance into first place in a competition
She managed to take the lead in the final lap.
live in an adventurous and risky way
He decided to lead a wild life after college.
cause someone to believe false information or be deceived
He tried to lead her down the garden path with false promises.
cause someone to have a particular belief
The evidence led the jury to believe she was guilty.
be the first to start an action
She decided to lead the charge in the new project.
be in the first position in a race
She managed to lead the field for most of the marathon.
cause something to happen as a result
His hard work led to a promotion.
acquire information or clue
The detective was able to pick up a lead on the suspect's whereabouts.
perform the main role in a play or movie
She will play the lead in the new drama.
be very unsuccessful or unpopular
His joke went down like a lead balloon.
bullets or gunfire in a dangerous situation
The gangsters exchanged hot lead in the alley.
cause someone to fail or be ruined
His arrogance led to his undoing.
move faster or hurry up
We need to get the lead out if we want to catch the bus.
Origin of lead
Old English, lædan (to guide)
Terms with lead included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
harmless
not likely to cause or lead to harm
tool
pencil with red lead used for marking corrections
sports
lead a team during matches as its on-field leader
early lead
advantage given or gained at the beginning
guidance
lead him to a place or situation
music
lead singer of a band
movement
move in front or take the lead
leadership
lead or take charge of a group
lead
at the forefront or leading position
beneficial situation
situation that could lead to something good
writing tool
pencil with a replaceable extendable lead
physical movement
move faster than others to lead
guidance
lead someone into a room or space
direction
lead someone to a destination or goal
ineffectiveness
efforts will not lead to success
lead meeting
act as the leader of a meeting or organization
leadership
lead or represent an organization or group
local government
official elected or appointed to lead a state or region
performance
the act of performing as the main actor or lead
music
group of musicians supporting a lead artist
commerce
situations that can lead to profit
automotive
lead-acid battery used in a vehicle's electrical system
leadership
lead a meeting by guiding the discussion
leadership
jointly lead a meeting or committee
Examples of lead in a sentence
They lead the team to victory every season. The new policy may lead to confusion. Poor planning can lead to failure. His speech led the team to victory. The advertisement led many to buy the product. She will lead the team to victory.
He was chosen to lead the expedition. She managed to lead the race from start to finish. The candidate continues to lead in the polls. He leads a quiet life near the coast. After retiring, they led a simple life abroad. She will lead the project from next week. The coach will lead the team to victory. The narrow lane leads toward the old harbour. All signs led us back to the station. The actor was thrilled to get the lead in the new film. She has always dreamed of playing the lead in a major production. She took the lead in organizing the event. His lead in the campaign was undeniable. Lead pipes were common in old plumbing systems. The artist used lead to create the sculpture. He sharpened the pencil to expose more lead. The artist preferred using lead for sketching. The team maintained their lead throughout the tournament. His lead in the polls was significant. The journalist received a lead on the political scandal. A lead from an anonymous source cracked the mystery. The trainer used a lead to guide the horse. A lead is essential for walking pets safely. The electrician replaced the damaged lead. Make sure the lead is properly insulated. Explorers found a lead to navigate through the ice. The icebreaker followed a lead to reach open water. She took the lead in the chess tournament. Winning the toss gave him the lead in the game. The typesetter adjusted the lead for better spacing. Old printing presses relied heavily on lead.
View all translations of lead
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:diriger, premier rôle, ...
- German:leiten, Hauptrolle, ...
- Italian:guidare, protagonista, ...
- Spanish:dirigir, protagonista, ...
- Portuguese:liderar, protagonista, ...
- Chinese:领导, 主角, ...
- Japanese:指揮する, 主役, ...
- Arabic:قَادَ, الدَّوْر الرَّئِيسِي, ...
- Hebrew:לְהוֹבִיל, תַּפְקִיד רָאשִׁי, ...
- Russian:руководить, главная роль, ...
- Ukrainian:очолювати, головна роль, ...
- Hindi:प्रभारी होना, मुख्य भूमिका, ...
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