Lead Definition

lēd

leading, leads, led

verb

leading, leads, led

To show the way by going before or along; act as guide.

Webster's New World

To show the way to, or direct the course of, by going before or along with; conduct; guide.

Webster's New World

To be led; submit to being led.

Webster's New World

To show (the way) in this manner.

Webster's New World

To mark the way for.

Lights to lead you there.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
be conveyed
follow
be piloted
trail
lose
fall-behind
consent
comply
obey

noun

leads

First or front place; precedence.

The horse in the lead.

Webster's New World

The amount or distance that one is ahead.

To hold a safe lead.

Webster's New World

The initiative.

Took the lead in setting the pace of the project.

American Heritage

The part of director or leader; leadership.

To take the lead in a project.

Webster's New World

The margin by which one holds a position of advantage or superiority.

Held a lead of nine points at the half.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
last position
last
last place
rear
end
deficit

adjective

Acting as leader or being the leader.

The lead horse, the lead runner in a race.

Webster's New World

First or foremost.

The lead leg on a surfboard.

American Heritage

Made of or containing lead.

Webster's New World

Most important.

The lead author of a research paper.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

idiom

lead the way

To show a course or route by going in advance.
To be foremost in an endeavor or trend:
The firm led the way in the application of new technology.

American Heritage

lead up to

To result in by a series of steps:
events leading up to the coup.
To proceed toward (a main topic) with preliminary remarks.

American Heritage

get the lead out

To start moving or move more rapidly.

American Heritage

lead off

to begin; start

Webster's New World

lead on

to conduct further
to lure or tempt

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Lead

Noun

Singular:

lead

Plural:

leads

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Lead

Origin of Lead

From Middle English leed, from Old English lÄ“ad (“lead"), from Proto-Germanic *laudÄ… (“lead"), from Proto-Indo-European *lAudh- (“lead"). Cognate with Scots leid, lede (“lead"), North Frisian lud, luad (“lead"), West Frisian lead (“lead"), Dutch lood (“lead"), German Lot (“solder, plummet, sounding line"), Swedish lod (“lead"), Icelandic lóð (“a plumb, weight"), Irish luaidhe (“lead"), Lithuanian liudÄ“ (“plumb, plummet, plumbline").

From Wiktionary
From Middle English leden, from Old English lÇ£dan (“to lead"), from Proto-Germanic *laidijanÄ… (“to cause one to go, lead"), causative of Proto-Germanic *līþanÄ… (“to go"), from Proto-Indo-European *leit-, *leith- (“to leave, die"). Cognate with West Frisian liede (“to lead"), Dutch leiden (“to lead"), German leiten (“to lead"), Danish lede (“to lead"), Swedish leda (“to lead"). Related to Old English līþan (“to go, travel").

From Wiktionary
Alternative etymology suggests the possibility that Proto-Germanic *laudan may derive from Proto-Celtic *loudhom, from an assumed Proto-Italo-Celtic *ploudhom, from Proto-Indo-European *plou(d)- (“to flow"). If so, then cognate with Latin plumbum (“lead"). More at flow.

From Wiktionary
Middle English leden from Old English lǣdan leit- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Middle English led from Old English lēad probably of Celtic origin

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition