What is lead?

More definitions of "lead":

• (noun): The timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine.
  Synonyms: spark advance

• (noun): The playing of a card to start a trick in bridge.
  Example: "The lead was in the dummy"

• (verb): Pass or spend.
  Example: "Lead a good life"

• (noun): An advantage held by a competitor in a race.
  Example: "He took the lead at the last turn"

• (noun): Restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal.
  Synonyms: leash, tether

• (noun): Evidence pointing to a possible solution.
  Example: "The police are following a promising lead"
  Synonyms: track, trail

• (noun): An indication of potential opportunity.
  Example: "A good lead for a job"
  Synonyms: tip, steer, confidential information, wind, hint

• (noun): Mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil.
  Synonyms: pencil lead

• (noun): (baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base.
  Example: "He took a long lead off first"

• (verb): Be in charge of.
  Synonyms: head

• (verb): Travel in front of; go in advance of others.
  Synonyms: head

• (noun): A jumper that consists of a short piece of wire.
  Synonyms: jumper cable, jumper lead

• (noun): An actor who plays a principal role.
  Synonyms: star, principal

• (verb): Cause something to pass or lead somewhere.
  Synonyms: run

• (verb): Result in.
  Synonyms: leave, result

• (verb): Take somebody somewhere.
  Example: "We lead him to our chief"
  Synonyms: take, direct, conduct, guide

• (noun): Thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing.
  Synonyms: leading

• (verb): Lead, as in the performance of a composition.
  Synonyms: conduct, direct

• (verb): Stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point.
  Synonyms: run, go, pass, extend

• (noun): A soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull gray.
  Example: "The children were playing with lead soldiers"
  Synonyms: Pb, atomic number 82

• (noun): A position of leadership (especially in the phrase 'take the lead').
  Example: "He takes the lead in any group"; "we were just waiting for someone to take the lead"; "they didn't follow our lead"

• (noun): The introductory section of a story.
  Example: "It was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matter"
  Synonyms: lead-in

• (verb): Tend to or result in.
  Example: "This remark lead to further arguments among the guests"

• (verb): Be ahead of others; be the first.
  Synonyms: top

• (verb): Lead, extend, or afford access.
  Synonyms: go

• (verb): Move ahead (of others) in time or space.
  Synonyms: precede

• (verb): Cause to undertake a certain action.
  Example: "Her greed led her to forge the checks"

• (verb): Be conducive to.
  Example: "The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing"
  Synonyms: contribute, conduce

• (verb): Preside over.
  Synonyms: moderate, chair

• (noun): The angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile).

Famous quotes containing the word lead:

“I love all men who dive. Any fish can swim near the surface, but it takes a great whale to go down stairs five miles or more; & if he don’t attain the bottom, why, all the lead in Galena can’t fashion the plummet that will.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)

“Dance then wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.”
—Sydney Carter (b. 1915)

“Horrible experiences lead us to wonder whether the person who experiences them might not be something horrible.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)