verb
    
    /ˈliːd/  leads; led /ˈlɛd/; leading
    
    to guide someone to a place especially by going in front [no obj]
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [+ obj] :to go or be at the front part of (something)
    
    
    
    
    
    [no obj] :to lie or go in a specified direction
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    to guide the actions of a person or group :to be in charge of a person, group, activity, etc. [no obj]
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [+ obj] :to cause (a person, group, etc.) to do something or to follow some course of action
    
    
    
    usually followed by to or to + verb
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    to be first, best, or ahead in a race or competition [no obj]
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [+ obj] :to go through (life) in a certain way :to have (a specified kind of life)
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    to begin play in a card game with (a certain card or kind of card) [+ obj]
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [no obj] :to guide a dance partner through the steps of a dance
    
    
    
    [+ obj] law :to ask (a witness) a question in a way that suggests what the answer should be :to ask (a witness) a leading question
    
    
    
    lead off
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    lead off or lead (something) off or lead off (something)
    
    to start something (such as an activity or performance) in a specified way
    
    
    
    
    
    baseball :to be the first batter in an inning
    
    
    
    
    
    lead on
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    lead (someone) on :to cause (someone) to wrongly continue believing or doing something
    
    
    
    lead someone a merry chase
    
    US or Brit lead someone a (merry) dance
    
    old-fashioned :to cause a series of troubles or worries for (someone)
    
    
    
    lead someone (around) by the nose
    
    
    
    lead someone down/up the garden path
    
    informal :to deceive someone :to cause someone to go, think, or proceed wrongly
    
    
    
    lead the way
    
    to be the first person to go somewhere
    
    
    
    
    
    lead to
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    lead to (something) :to result in (something)
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    lead up to
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    lead up to (something)
    
    to occur in the time that comes before (something)
    
    
    
    to come before and help to cause (something)
    
    
    
    to come before and help to introduce (something)
    
    
    
    
    
    lead with
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    lead with (something)
    
    to begin something (such as a story or speech) with (something specified)
    
    
    
    to begin a series of punches in boxing with (a punch thrown by a specified hand)
    
    
    
    the blind leading the blind
    
    
    
    noun
    
    plural leads
    
    the lead
    
    a position that is ahead of others
    
    
    
    
    
    a position that is ahead of others in a race or competition
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [count] :the amount or distance by which someone or something is ahead in a race or competition - usually singular
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [count] :a piece of information that could help produce a desired result
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [count] the main role in a movie or play
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    the main performer in a group
    
    
    
    usually used before another noun
    
    
    
    [count] the beginning part of a news story
    
    
    
    the most important news story in a newspaper or broadcast
    
    
    
    
    
    [count] baseball :a position taken by a runner at a distance from a base before a pitch is thrown
    
    
    
    
    
    [count] chiefly Brit :1leash
    
    
    
    [count] chiefly Brit :a wire that carries electricity from a source to an electrical device (such as a lamp or radio) :an electrical cord - compare 3lead
    
    follow someone's lead
    
    to do the same thing that someone else has done
    
    
    
    noun
    
    plural leads
    
    [noncount] :a heavy and soft metal that has a gray color
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    a thin stick of dark material used in pencils to make marks [noncount]
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [noncount] chiefly US informal :bullets
    
    
    
    get the lead out
    
    US informal :to begin going or moving more quickly
    
    
    
    go over/down like a lead balloon