lead

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English[edit]

Chemical element
Pb Previous: thallium (Tl)
Next: bismuth (Bi)

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English leed, from Old English lēad (“lead”), from Proto-Germanic *laudą (“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 liudē (“plumb, plummet, plumbline”).

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.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

lead (countable and uncountable; plural leads)

  1. (uncountable) 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).
  2. (countable) A plummet or mass of lead attached to a line, used in sounding depth at sea or (dated) to estimate velocity in knots.
  3. A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.
  4. (uncountable, typography) 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.
  5. Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.
  6. (plural leads) A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.
    • I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top. — Bacon
  7. (countable) A thin cylinder of black lead or plumbago (graphite) used in pencils.
  8. (slang) Bullets; ammunition.
    They filled him full of lead.
Derived terms[edit]
terms derived from the noun "lead"


Translations[edit]
chemical element
plummet to measure depth of water
separator line in print
typography: vertical space
sheets or plates covering a roof
roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates
refill for writing tool
bullets

Verb[edit]

lead (third-person singular simple present leads, present participle leading, simple past and past participle leaded)

  1. (transitive) To cover, fill, or affect with lead; as, continuous firing leads the grooves of a rifle.
  2. (transitive, printing) To place leads between the lines of; as, to lead a page; leaded matter.
Usage notes[edit]

Note carefully these two senses are verbs derived from the noun referring to the metallic element, and are unrelated to the heteronym defined below under #Etymology 2.

Translations[edit]
to cover, fill, or affect with lead
printing: place leads between the lines of
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

See also[edit]

terms related to the element lead

External links[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Wikipedia has an article on:

Wikipedia

From Middle English leden, from Old English lǣdan (“to lead”), from Proto-Germanic *laidijaną (“to cause one to go, lead”), causative of Proto-Germanic *līþaną (“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”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

lead (third-person singular simple present leads, present participle leading, simple past and past participle led or (nonstandard) lead)

  1. (transitive) To guide or conduct with the hand, or by means of some physical contact connection; as, a father leads a child; a jockey leads a horse with a halter; a dog leads a blind man.
    • If a blind man lead a blind man, both fall down in the ditch. — John Wycliffe on Matthew 15:14
    • They thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill. — Luke 4:29
    • In thy right hand lead with thee The mountain nymph, sweet Liberty. — Milton
  2. (transitive) To guide or conduct in a certain course, or to a certain place or end, by making the way known; to show the way, especially by going with or going in advance of, to lead a pupil; to guide somebody somewhere or to bring somebody somewhere by means of instructions. Hence, figuratively: To direct; to counsel; to instruct; as, to lead a traveler.
    • The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way. — Exodus 13:21
    • He leadeth me beside the still waters. — Psalms 23:2
    • This thought might lead me through the world’s vain mask. Content, though blind, had I no better guide. — Milton.
  3. (transitive) To conduct or direct with authority; to have direction or charge of; as, to lead an army, an exploring party, or a search; to lead a political party; to command, especially a military or business unit
    • Christ took not upon him flesh and blood that he might conquer and rule nations, lead armies, or possess places. — Robert South
  4. (transitive) To go or to be in advance of; to precede; hence, to be foremost or chief among; as, the big sloop led the fleet of yachts; the Guards led the attack; Demosthenes leads the orators of all ages.
  5. (transitive) To draw or direct by influence, whether good or bad; to prevail on; to induce; to entice; to allure; as, to lead one to espouse a righteous cause.
    The evidence leads me to believe he is guilty.
    • He was driven by the necessities of the times, more than led by his own disposition, to any rigor of actions. — Eikon Basilike
    • Silly women, laden with sins, led away by divers lusts. — 2 Timothy 3:6.
  6. (transitive) To guide or conduct oneself in, through, or along (a certain course); hence, to proceed in the way of; to follow the path or course of; to pass; to spend. Also, to cause (one) to proceed or follow in (a certain course).
    • That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. — 1 Timothy 2:2
    • Nor thou with shadowed hint confuse A life that leads melodious days. — Alfred Tennyson
    • You remember . . . the life he used to lead his wife and daughter. — Dickens
  7. (transitive, card games, dominoes) To begin a game, round, or trick, with; as, to lead trumps
    He led a double five.
  8. (intransitive) 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.
  9. (intransitive) To be ahead of others, e.g., in a race
  10. (intransitive) To have the highest interim score in a game
  11. (intransitive) To be more advanced in technology or business than others
  12. (intransitive) To tend or reach in a certain direction, or to a certain place; as, the path leads to the mill; gambling leads to other vices.
  13. (intransitive) To lead off or out, to go first; to begin.
  14. To produce.
    The shock led to a change in his behaviour.
  15. (baseball) To step off base and move towards the next base.
    The batter always leads off base.
  16. (shooting) To aim in front of a moving target, in order that the shot may hit the target as it passes.
Derived terms[edit]
terms derived from the verb "to lead"
Translations[edit]
guide or conduct with the hand, or by means of some physical contact connection
guide or conduct in a certain course
conduct or direct with authority
go or be in advance of; precede
draw or direct by influence
guide or conduct oneself
begin a game of cards or dominoes
intransitive: to guide or conduct
intransitive: be ahead of others
intransitive: have the highest interim score in a game
intransitive: be more advanced
intransitive: tend or reach in a certain direction
intransitive: to go first
transitive: to step off base
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun[edit]

Wikipedia has an article on:

Wikipedia lead (countable and uncountable; plural leads)

  1. (uncountable) The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction, course; as, to take the lead; to be under the lead of another.
    • At the time I speak of, and having a momentary lead, . . . I am sure I did my country important service. — Edmund Burke
  2. (uncountable) Precedence; advance position; also, the measure of precedence; as, the white horse had the lead; a lead of a boat’s length, or of half a second; the state of being ahead in a race; the highest score in a game in an incomplete game.
    • 2010 December 28, Kevin Darlin, “West Brom 1 - 3 Blackburn”, BBC:
      Blackburn then regained the lead with a simplest of set-piece goals
  3. (countable) a metallic wire for electrical devices and equipments
  4. (baseball) When a runner steps away from a base while waiting for the pitch to be thrown
    The runner took his lead from first.
  5. (uncountable) (cards and dominoes) The act or right of playing first in a game or round; the card suit, or piece, so played; as, your partner has the lead.
  6. (countable) A channel of open water in an ice field.
  7. (countable, mining) A lode.
  8. (nautical) The course of a rope from end to end.
  9. A rope, leather strap, or similar device with which to lead an animal; a leash
  10. In a steam engine, The width of port opening which is uncovered by the valve, for the admission or release of steam, at the instant when the piston is at end of its stroke.
    • Usage note: When used alone it means outside lead, or lead for the admission of steam. Inside lead refers to the release or exhaust.
  11. charging lead
  12. (civil engineering) The distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment.
  13. (horology) The action of a tooth, as a tooth of a wheel, in impelling another tooth or a pallet. — Claudias Saunier
  14. Hypothesis that has not been pursued
    The investigation stalled when all leads turned out to be dead ends.
  15. Information obtained by a detective or police officer that allows him or her to discover further details about a crime or incident.
  16. (marketing) Potential opportunity for a sale or transaction, a potential customer.
    Joe is a great addition to our sales team, he has numerous leads in the paper industry.
  17. Information obtained by a news reporter about an issue or subject that allows him or her to discover more details.
  18. (curling) The player who throws the first two rocks for a team.
  19. (newspapers) A teaser; a lead in; the start of a newspaper column, telling who, what, when, where, why and how. (Sometimes spelled as lede for this usage to avoid ambiguity.)
  20. An important news story that appears on the front page of a newspaper or at the beginning of a news broadcast
  21. (engineering) The axial distance a screw thread travels in one revolution. It is equal to the pitch times the number of starts.
  22. (music) In a barbershop quartet, the person who sings the melody, usually the second tenor
Usage notes[edit]

Note that these noun (attributive) uses are all derived from the verb, not the chemical element in #Etymology 1.

Derived terms[edit]
terms derived from the noun "lead"
Translations[edit]
act of leading or conducting
precedence; advance position
in cards and dominoes
channel of open water in an ice field
mining: lode
nautical: course of a rope from end to end
leash
in a steam engine
charging lead
civil engineering: distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment
horology: action of a tooth
information obtained by a detective or police officer
information obtained by a news reporter
potential customer
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

Adjective[edit]

lead (not comparable)

  1. (not comparable) Foremost.
    The contestants are all tied; no one has the lead position.
Synonyms[edit]

References[edit]

Statistics[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Hungarian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

le- + ad

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA: /ˈlɛɒd/
  • Hyphenation: le‧ad

Verb[edit]

lead (infinitive leadni)

  1. To pass down, to hand down, to turn in, to drop off.
  2. To lose weight, usually as a result of some kind of training or exercise.

Conjugation[edit]

conjugation of lead
Infinitive leadni
Past participle leadott
Present participle leadó
Future participle leadandó
Adverbial participle leadva
Potential leadhat
1st person sg 2nd person sg informal 3rd person sg,
2nd person sg formal		 1st person pl 2nd person pl informal 3rd person pl,
2nd person pl formal
Indicative Mood Present Indefinite leadok leadsz lead leadunk leadtok leadnak
Definite leadom
én téged/titeket
leadlak		 leadod leadja leadjuk leadjátok leadják
Past Indefinite leadtam leadtál leadott leadtunk leadtatok leadtak
Definite leadtam
én téged/titeket
leadtalak		 leadtad leadta leadtuk leadtátok leadták
Conditional Mood Present Indefinite leadnék leadnál leadna leadnánk leadnátok leadnának
Definite leadnám
én téged/titeket
leadnálak		 leadnád leadná leadnánk leadnátok leadnák
Subjunctive Mood Present Indefinite leadjak leadj
or
leadjál		 leadjon leadjunk leadjatok leadjanak
Definite leadjam
én téged/titeket
leadjalak		 leadd
or
leadjad		 leadja leadjuk leadjátok leadják
Conjugated Infinitive leadnom leadnod leadnia leadnunk leadnotok leadniuk

Derived terms[edit]

Old English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Germanic *laudą.

Noun[edit]

lēad n

  1. lead (metal)

Descendants[edit]

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