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Valid in these dictionaries

  • TWL/NWL (Scrabble US/CA/TH)
  • SOWPODS/CSW (Scrabble UK / ALL)
  • ENABLE (Words with Friends)

Meaning of lead

1 definition found

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

  lead
      n 1: an advantage held by a competitor in a race; "he took the
           lead at the last turn"
      2: 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" [syn: {lead}, {Pb},
         {atomic number 82}]
      3: evidence pointing to a possible solution; "the police are
         following a promising lead"; "the trail led straight to the
         perpetrator" [syn: {lead}, {track}, {trail}]
      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"
      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)
      6: the introductory section of a story; "it was an amusing lead-
         in to a very serious matter" [syn: {lead}, {lead-in}, {lede}]
      7: (sports) the score by which a team or individual is winning
         [ant: {deficit}]
      8: an actor who plays a principal role [syn: {star},
         {principal}, {lead}]
      9: (baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to
         advance to the next base; "he took a long lead off first"
      10: an indication of potential opportunity; "he got a tip on the
          stock market"; "a good lead for a job" [syn: {tip}, {lead},
          {steer}, {confidential information}, {wind}, {hint}]
      11: a news story of major importance [syn: {lead}, {lead story}]
      12: the timing of ignition relative to the position of the
          piston in an internal-combustion engine [syn: {spark
          advance}, {lead}]
      13: restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to
          restrain an animal [syn: {leash}, {tether}, {lead}]
      14: thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in
          printing [syn: {lead}, {leading}]
      15: mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of
          hardness; the marking substance in a pencil [syn: {lead},
          {pencil lead}]
      16: a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire; "it was a
          tangle of jumper cables and clip leads" [syn: {jumper
          cable}, {jumper lead}, {lead}, {booster cable}]
      17: the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge; "the lead
          was in the dummy"
      v 1: take somebody somewhere; "We lead him to our chief"; "can
           you take me to the main entrance?"; "He conducted us to the
           palace" [syn: {lead}, {take}, {direct}, {conduct}, {guide}]
      2: have as a result or residue; "The water left a mark on the
         silk dress"; "Her blood left a stain on the napkin" [syn:
         {leave}, {result}, {lead}]
      3: tend to or result in; "This remark lead to further arguments
         among the guests"
      4: travel in front of; go in advance of others; "The procession
         was headed by John" [syn: {lead}, {head}]
      5: cause to undertake a certain action; "Her greed led her to
         forge the checks"
      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" [syn: {run}, {go}, {pass}, {lead}, {extend}]
      7: be in charge of; "Who is heading this project?" [syn: {head},
         {lead}]
      8: be ahead of others; be the first; "she topped her class every
         year" [syn: {lead}, {top}]
      9: be conducive to; "The use of computers in the classroom lead
         to better writing" [syn: {contribute}, {lead}, {conduce}]
      10: lead, as in the performance of a composition; "conduct an
          orchestra; Barenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for
          years" [syn: {conduct}, {lead}, {direct}]
      11: lead, extend, or afford access; "This door goes to the
          basement"; "The road runs South" [syn: {go}, {lead}]
      12: move ahead (of others) in time or space [syn: {precede},
          {lead}] [ant: {follow}]
      13: cause something to pass or lead somewhere; "Run the wire
          behind the cabinet" [syn: {run}, {lead}]
      14: preside over; "John moderated the discussion" [syn:
          {moderate}, {chair}, {lead}]


Source : WordNet ® Princeton University. 2010.

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