lead
Forms
- Plural
- leads
- present (v1)
- lead
- past (v2)
- leaded
- past participle (v3)
- leaded
- present participle
- leading
- 3rd person singular
- leads
Definitions
1.A heavy, pliable, inelastic metal element, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished; both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity. It is easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of solder and type metal. Atomic number 82, symbol Pb (from Latin plumbum).
- Which is heavier, lead or gold?
- Tom is ready to lead.
2.A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.
- Which is heavier, lead or gold?
- Tom is ready to lead.
3.A plummet or mass of lead attached to a line, used in sounding depth at sea or to estimate velocity in knots.
- Which is heavier, lead or gold?
- Tom is ready to lead.
4.Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.
- This copy has too much lead; I prefer less space between the lines.
1.To guide or conduct.
- He leadeth me beside the still waters.
- The evidence leads me to believe he is guilty.
- Silly women, laden with sins, led away by divers lusts.
2.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 the transitive verb.
3.To begin, to be ahead.
- The batter always leads off base.
- And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.
- It leads in the information technology sector.
4.To cover, fill, or affect with lead.
Frequency
Overall
Very common· #349
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Very common
- Academic
- Common
- Literature
- Uncommon
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English led, leed, from Old English lēad (“lead”), from Proto-West Germanic *laud (“lead”), possibly borrowed from Proto-Celtic *ɸloudom, from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow”).