Lead vs. Leading
Difference Between Lead and Leading
Leadnoun
(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).
Leadingadjective
Providing guidance or direction.
Avoid leading questions if you really want the truth.Leadnoun
(countable) A plummet or mass of lead attached to a line, used in sounding depth at sea or (dated) to estimate velocity in knots.
Leadingadjective
Ranking first.
He is a leading supplier of plumbing supplies in the county.Leadnoun
A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.
Leadingadjective
Occurring in advance; preceding.
The stock market can be a leading economic indicator.Leadnoun
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.Leadingnoun
An act by which one is led or guided.
Leadnoun
Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.
Leadingnoun
(typography) Vertical space added between lines; line spacing.
Leadnoun
(plural leads) A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.
Leadingnoun
thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing
Leadnoun
(countable) A thin cylinder of black lead or plumbago (graphite) used in pencils.
Leadingnoun
the activity of leading;
his leadership inspired the teamLeadnoun
(slang) Bullets; ammunition.
They pumped him full of lead.Leadingadjective
indicating the most important performer or role;
the leading manprima ballerinaprima donnaa star figure skaterthe starring rolea stellar rolea stellar performanceLeadnoun
(uncountable) The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction, course
to take the leadto be under the lead of anotherLeadingadjective
going or proceeding or going in advance; showing the way;
we rode in the leading carthe leading edge of technologyLeadnoun
(uncountable) Precedence; advance position; also, the measure of precedence; the state of being ahead in a race; the highest score in a game in an incomplete game.
the white horse had the lead.to be in the leadShe lost the lead.Smith managed to extend her lead over the second place to half a second.Leadingadjective
greatest in importance or degree or significance or achievement;
our greatest statesmenthe country's leading poeta preeminent archeologistLeadnoun
An insulated metallic wire for electrical devices and equipment.
Leadingadjective
having the leading position or higher score in a contest;
he is ahead by a pawnthe leading team in the pennant raceLeadnoun
(baseball) The situation where a runner steps away from a base while waiting for the pitch to be thrown.
The runner took his lead from first.Leadingadjective
purposefully formulated to elicit a desired response;
a leading questionLeadnoun
The act or right of playing first in a game or round; the card suit, or piece, so played
your partner has the leadLeadnoun
(acting) The main role in a play or film; the lead role.
Leadnoun
(acting) The actor who plays the main role; lead actor.
Leadnoun
(countable) A channel of open water in an ice field.
Leadnoun
A lode.
Leadnoun
(nautical) The course of a rope from end to end.
Leadnoun
A rope, leather strap, or similar device with which to lead an animal; a leash
Leadnoun
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.
Leadnoun
Charging lead. en
Leadnoun
(civil engineering) The distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment.
Leadnoun
(horology) The action of a tooth, such as a tooth of a wheel, in impelling another tooth or a pallet.
Leadnoun
Hypothesis that has not been pursued
The investigation stalled when all leads turned out to be dead ends.Leadnoun
Information obtained by a detective or police officer that allows him or her to discover further details about a crime or incident.
The police have a couple of leads they will follow to solve the case.Leadnoun
(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.Leadnoun
Information obtained by a news reporter about an issue or subject that allows him or her to discover more details.
Leadnoun
(curling) The player who throws the first two rocks for a team.
Leadnoun
(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.)
Leadnoun
An important news story that appears on the front page of a newspaper or at the beginning of a news broadcast
Leadnoun
(engineering) The axial distance a screw thread travels in one revolution. It is equal to the pitch times the number of starts.
Leadnoun
(music) In a barbershop quartet, the person who sings the melody, usually the second tenor
Leadnoun
(music) The announcement by one voice part of a theme to be repeated by the other parts.
Leadnoun
(music) A mark or a short passage in one voice part, as of a canon, serving as a cue for the entrance of others.
Leadnoun
(engineering) The excess above a right angle in the angle between two consecutive cranks, as of a compound engine, on the same shaft.
Leadnoun
(electrical) The angle between the line joining the brushes of a continuous-current dynamo and the diameter symmetrical between the poles.
Leadnoun
(electrical) The advance of the current phase in an alternating circuit beyond that of the electromotive force producing it.
Leadverb
(transitive) To cover, fill, or affect with lead
continuous firing leads the grooves of a rifle.Leadverb
To place leads between the lines of.
to lead a page; leaded matterLeadverb
To guide or conduct.
Leadverb
To guide or conduct with the hand, or by means of some physical contact connection.
a father leads a child;a jockey leads a horse with a halter;a dog leads a blind manLeadverb
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.
The guide was able to lead the tourists through the jungle safely.Leadverb
(figuratively): To direct; to counsel; to instruct
A good teacher should lead their students to the right answer.Leadverb
To conduct or direct with authority; to have direction or charge of; to command, especially a military or business unit.
to lead a political partyto lead the search teamLeadverb
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).
The evidence leads me to believe he is guilty.Leadverb
(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.
Leadverb
(heading) To begin, to be ahead.
Leadverb
(transitive) To go or to be in advance of; to precede; hence, to be foremost or chief among.
the big sloop led the fleet of yachts;the Guards led the attack;Demosthenes leads the orators of all agesLeadverb
(intransitive) To lead off or out, to go first; to begin.
Leadverb
(intransitive) To be more advanced in technology or business than others.
Leadverb
(transitive) To draw or direct by influence, whether good or bad; to prevail on; to induce; to entice; to allure
to lead someone to a righteous causeLeadverb
(intransitive) To tend or reach in a certain direction, or to a certain place.
the path leads to the mill;gambling leads to other vicesLeadverb
To produce (with to).
The shock led to a change in his behaviour.Leadverb
misspelling of led
Leadadjective
(not comparable) Foremost.
The contestants are all tied; no one has the lead position.Leadadjective
(music) main, principal
the lead guitaristlead trumpetLeadnoun
a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull gray;
the children were playing with lead soldiersLeadnoun
an advantage held by a competitor in a race;
he took the lead at the last turnLeadnoun
evidence pointing to a possible solution;
the police are following a promising leadthe trail led straight to the perpetratorLeadnoun
a position of leadership (especially in the phrase `take the lead');
he takes the lead in any groupwe were just waiting for someone to take the leadthey didn't follow our leadLeadnoun
the angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)
Leadnoun
the introductory section of a story;
it was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matterLeadnoun
an actor who plays a principal role
Leadnoun
(baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base;
he took a long lead off firstLeadnoun
an indication of potential opportunity;
he got a tip on the stock marketa good lead for a jobLeadnoun
a news story of major importance
Leadnoun
the timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine
Leadnoun
restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal
Leadnoun
thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing
Leadnoun
mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil
Leadnoun
a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire;
it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leadsLeadnoun
the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge;
the lead was in the dummyLeadverb
take somebody somewhere;
We lead him to our chiefcan you take me to the main entrance?He conducted us to the palaceLeadverb
result in;
The water left a mark on the silk dressHer blood left a stain on the napkinLeadverb
tend to or result in;
This remark lead to further arguments among the guestsLeadverb
travel in front of; go in advance of others;
The procession was headed by JohnLeadverb
cause to undertake a certain action;
Her greed led her to forge the checksLeadverb
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 CranburyHis knowledge doesn't go very farMy memory extends back to my fourth year of lifeThe facts extend beyond a consideration of her personal assetsLeadverb
be in charge of;
Who is heading this project?Leadverb
be ahead of others; be the first;
she topped her class every yearLeadverb
be conducive to;
The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writingLeadverb
lead, as in the performance of a composition;
conduct an orchestra; Bairenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for yearsLeadverb
pass or spend;
lead a good lifeLeadverb
lead, extend, or afford access;
This door goes to the basementThe road runs SouthLeadverb
move ahead (of others) in time or space
Leadverb
cause something to pass or lead somewhere;
Run the wire behind the cabinetLeadverb
preside over;
John moderated the discussion
