lead
Cross references:
1. guide 2. element
1. lead \'le-d\ \'led\ vb or led; or lead.ing [ME leden, fr. OE
l-dan; akin to OHG leitan to le]ad, OE li-than to go 1a: to guide on a
way esp. by going in advance 1b: to direct on a course or in a direction
1c: to serve as a channel for {pipes ~ water into canals} 2: to go through
: LIVE {~ a quiet life} 3a1: to direct the operations, activity, or
performance of {~ an o rchestra} 3a2: to have charge of {~ a campaign}
3b1: to go at the head of {~ a parade} 3b2: to be first in or among {~ the
league} 3b3: to have a margin over {led his opponent} 4: to being play
with {~ trumps} 5: to aim in front of (a moving object) {~ a duck} 6: to
direct (a blow) at an opponent in boxing 1a: to guide someone or something
along a way 1b: to lie, run, or open in a specified place or direction
{path ~ s uphill} 2a: to be first 2b1: BEGIN, OPEN {~ off for the home
team} 2b2: to play the first card 3: to tend toward a definite result
{study ~ing to a degree)>
2. lead n 1a1: position at the front : VANGUARD 1a2: INITIATIVE 1a3: the
act or privilege of leading in cards; also : the card or s uit led 1b1:
LEADERSHIP 1b2: EXAMPLE, PRECEDENT 1c: a margin or measure of advantage
or superiority or position in advance 2: one that leads : as 2a1: LODE
2a2: an auriferous gravel deposit in an old river bed; esp : one bu ried
under lava 2b: a channel of water through a field of ice 2c: INDICATION,
CLUE 2d: a principal role in a dramatic production; also : one who plays
such a role 2e: LEASH 2f1: an introductory section of a news story 2f2: a
news story of chief importance 3: an insulated electrical conductor 4:
the length of a rope from end to end 5: a position taken by a base runner
off a base toward the next
3. lead aj : acting or serving as a leader {~ article}
4. lead \'led\ n [ME leed, fr. OE le-ad, fr. OE le-ad; akin to MHG lo]
often attrib -t lead 1: a heavy soft malleable ductile plastic but
inelastic bivalent or tetrava lent bluish white metallic element found
mostly in combination and used esp. in pipes, cable sheaths, batteries,
solder, type metal, and shields against radioactivity 2a: a plummet for
sounding at sea pl, Brit 2b: a usu. flat lead roof pl 2c: lead framing
for panes in windows 2d: a thin strip of metal used to separate lines of
type in printing 3a: a thin stick of marking substance in or for a pencil
3b: WHITE LEAD 4: BULLETS, PROJECTILES 5: TETRAETHYL LEAD
5. lead \'led\ vt 1: to cover, line, or weight with lead 2: to fix (window
glass) in position with leads 3: to place leads or other spacing material
between the lines of (type mat ter) 4: to treat or mix with lead or a lead
compound {~ed gasolin e}