a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull grey
"the children were playing with lead soldiers"
a position of being the initiator of something and an example that others will follow (especially in the phrase `take the lead')
"he takes the lead in any group"
"we were just waiting for someone to take the lead"
"they didn't follow our lead"
the angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)
"The sniper adjusted his aim to calculate the lead needed before firing at the fast-moving drone."
(sports) the score by which a team or individual is winning
"After scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth, the home team extended their lead to five runs against the visitors."
(baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base
"he took a long lead off first"
a news story of major importance
"The editor decided to place the scandal at the top of the front page as the lead story for today's edition."
the timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine
"The mechanic adjusted the spark plug gap to correct the lead and ensure the engine fired at the precise moment for maximum power."
mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil
"He sharpened his pencil to get a fresh point before sketching the intricate details on the page."
a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire
"it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads"
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).
"The new manager provided clear leadership that helped the team navigate through the company's financial crisis."
The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction, course
In plain English: A lead is the main character or person who takes charge of something important.
"The old pipe in the basement is made of lead."
Usage: Use "lead" as a noun to refer to the role of guiding someone or the state of being ahead in a race or competition. Do not use it for the metal element, which is spelled "lead," or for the verb meaning to guide, which is also spelled "lead."
stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point
"Service runs all the way to Cranbury"
"His knowledge doesn't go very far"
"My memory extends back to my fourth year of life"
"The facts extend beyond a consideration of her personal assets"
be conducive to
"The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing"
To cover, fill, or affect with lead
"Please do not write that you have lead a busy life; remember, it is spelled differently than the metal or to guide someone."
To guide or conduct.
To guide or conduct with the hand, or by means of some physical contact connection.
Misspelling of led.
In plain English: To lead means to guide someone or something in a particular direction.
"She will lead the team to victory in the final game."
Usage: Use "lead" as the present tense and infinitive form of the verb to mean guiding or directing someone. Do not use it for past actions, which should always be spelled "led.
Foremost.
"She took the lead role in the new production, much to everyone's surprise."
In plain English: Lead describes something that is at the very front of a line or group.
"He took the lead position at the front of the race."
Usage: Use "lead" as an adjective only when it directly modifies a noun to mean being foremost or at the front, such as in "a lead role." Do not use this form to describe materials like gold or silver, which require the adjective "made of lead" instead.
The word "lead" comes from the Old English term for the heavy metal. Its ultimate origin traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to flow."