lead

adj. most important, main; leading; first, opening, beginning (of an article in a newspaper, etc.)

n. leadership, guidance; advance position, first place; person or thing that leads, leader; leash; guide; example; clue, hint, indication; principal role in a play; main actor; main news story; conductor (Electricity)

adj. made of lead, containing lead

n. heavy bluish-gray metal (Chemistry); something made of lead or its alloys; graphite; bullets; thin cylinder of graphite placed in a pencil; weight hung at the end of a line

v. coat with lead; fix in place using lead

v. conduct, escort; drive; guide; direct; take, bring; influence, cause; be in first place; live in a certain way, follow a certain lifestyle

Lead (IPA: ) is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. A soft, heavy, toxic and malleable poor metal, lead is bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes to dull gray when exposed to air. Lead is used in building construction, lead-acid batteries, bullets and  shot, weights for model railroad cars, and is part of solder, pewter, and fusible alloys. Lead has the highest atomic number of all stable elements - although the next element, bismuth, has a half life so long (longer than the estimated age of the universe) it can be considered stable. Like mercury, another heavy metal, lead is a potent neurotoxin which accumulates in soft tissues and bone over time.
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Noun
1. a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull gray; "the children were playing with lead soldiers"
(synonym) Pb, atomic number 82
(hypernym) metallic element, metal
(hyponym) hard lead
(substance-holonym) galena
2. an advantage held by a competitor in a race; "he took the lead at the last turn"
(hypernym) advantage, vantage
3. evidence pointing to a possible solution; "the police are following a promising lead"; "the trail led straight to the perpetrator"
(synonym) track, trail
(hypernym) evidence, grounds
4. a position of leadership (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"
(hypernym) leadership, leading
(derivation) moderate, chair
5. the angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)
(hypernym) angle
6. the introductory section of a story; "it was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matter"
(synonym) lead-in
(hypernym) section, subdivision
(part-holonym) news article, news story, newspaper article
7. an actor who plays a principal role
(synonym) star, principal
(hypernym) actor, histrion, player, thespian, role player
(hyponym) co-star
8. (baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base; "he took a long lead off first"
(hypernym) position, place
(classification) baseball, baseball game, ball
9. an indication of potential opportunity; "he got a tip on the stock market"; "a good lead for a job"
(synonym) tip, steer, confidential information, wind, hint
(hypernym) guidance, counsel, counseling, counselling, direction
10. a news story of major importance
(synonym) lead story
(hypernym) news article, news story, newspaper article
11. the timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine
(synonym) spark advance
(hypernym) timing
12. restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal
(synonym) leash, tether
(hypernym) restraint, constraint
13. thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing
(synonym) leading
(hypernym) strip, slip
14. mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil
(synonym) pencil lead
(hypernym) graphite, black lead, plumbago
(part-holonym) lead pencil
15. a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire; "it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads"
(synonym) jumper cable, jumper lead
(hypernym) jumper
(hyponym) clip lead
16. the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge; "the lead was in the dummy"
(hypernym) turn, play
(part-holonym) card game, cards
Verb
1. take somebody somewhere; "We lead him to our chief"; "can you take me to the main entrance?"; "He conducted us to the palace"
(synonym) take, direct, conduct, guide
(hyponym) beacon
(derivation) leader
2. result in; "The water left a mark on the silk dress"; "Her blood left a stain on the napkin"
(synonym) leave, result
(hypernym) bring about
(verb-group) leave
3. tend to or result in; "This remark lead to further arguments among the guests"
(hypernym) leave, result
4. travel in front of; go in advance of others; "The procession was headed by John"
(synonym) head
(hypernym) precede
(hyponym) draw away
(verb-group) head, head up
(derivation) leader
5. cause to undertake a certain action; "Her greed led her to forge the checks"
(hypernym) induce, stimulate, cause, have, get, make
(hyponym) give
(derivation) leader
6. 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"
(synonym) run, go, pass, extend
(hypernym) be
(hyponym) come
(verb-group) range, run
7. be in charge of; "Who is heading this project?"
(synonym) head
(hypernym) direct
(hyponym) chair, chairman
8. be ahead of others; be the first; "she topped her class every year"
(synonym) top
(entail) compete, vie, contend
9. be conducive to; "The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing"
(synonym) contribute, conduce
(hypernym) promote, advance, boost, further, encourage
10. lead, as in the performance of a composition; "conduct an orchestra; Bairenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for years"
(synonym) conduct, direct
(hypernym) perform, execute, do
(verb-group) conduct
(classification) music
11. pass or spend; "lead a good life"
(hypernym) spend, pass
12. lead, extend, or afford access; "This door goes to the basement"; "The road runs South"
(synonym) go
(hypernym) be
13. move ahead (of others) in time or space
(synonym) precede
(hypernym) travel, go, move, locomote
(hyponym) head
14. cause something to pass or lead somewhere; "Run the wire behind the cabinet"
(synonym) run
(hypernym) pass, make pass
(verb-group) guide, run, draw, pass
15. preside over; "John moderated the discussion"
(synonym) moderate, chair
(hypernym) hash out, discuss, talk over

(n.)
A lode.
  

(n.)
A plummet or mass of lead, used in sounding at sea.
  

(n.)
A small cylinder of black lead or plumbago, used in pencils.
  

(n.)
A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.
  

(n.)
An article made of lead or an alloy of lead
  

(n.)
An open way in an ice field.
  

(n.)
One of the elements, a heavy, pliable, inelastic metal, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished. It is both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity, and is used for tubes, sheets, bullets, etc. Its specific gravity is 11.37. It is easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of solder and type metal. Atomic weight, 206.4. Symbol Pb (L. Plumbum). It is chiefly obtained from the mineral galena, lead sulphide.
  

(n.)
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.
  

(n.)
Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs; hence, pl., a roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.
  

(n.)
The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction; as, to take the lead; to be under the lead of another.
  

(n.)
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.
  

(n.)
The action of a tooth, as a tooth of a wheel, in impelling another tooth or a pallet.
  

(n.)
The course of a rope from end to end.
  

(n.)
the distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment.
  

(n.)
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.
  

(v. i.)
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 lead, v. t.
  

(v. t.)
To begin a game, round, or trick, with; as, to lead trumps; the double five was led.
  

(v. t.)
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.
  

(v. t.)
To cover, fill, or affect with lead; as, continuous firing leads the grooves of a rifle.
  

(v. t.)
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.
  

(v. t.)
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.
  

(v. t.)
To guide or conduct in a certain course, or to a certain place or end, by making the way known; to show the way, esp. by going with or going in advance of. Hence, figuratively: To direct; to counsel; to instruct; as, to lead a traveler; to lead a pupil.
  

(v. t.)
To guide or conduct one's self 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).
  

(v. t.)
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.
  

(v. t.)
To place leads between the lines of; as, to lead a page; leaded matter.
  

(v. t.)
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.
  

Payment of a financial obligation earlier than is expected or required.