See Also: Lead (Or Lead Pad) - Horse Racing(gambling)
Lead(medicine)
lead-off(dictionary)
lead-in(dictionary)
lead(4)(dictionary)
lead(3)(dictionary)
CB lead(medicine)
CF lead(medicine)
CL lead(medicine)
CR lead(medicine)

lead(2) (iou)



lead noun2. [li:d] ME.
[from LEAD verb1.]
a. The action of LEAD verb1; leading, direction, guidance. obsolete exc. dial. ME.
b. Direction given by going in front; example, precedent. Esp. in follow the lead of. M19.
c. A guiding indication; a clue to the solution of something. M19.
d. Journalism. A summary or outline of a newspaper story; a guide to a story that needs further development or exploration; the first (often the most important) item in a newspaper etc. Cf. lead story below. E20.
a. A man-made watercourse, esp. one leading to a mill (also called mill-leat). M16.
b. A (garden) path; an alley. L16.
c. A channel in an ice-field. E19.
d. A thong, strap, or cord for leading or controlling a dog etc. L19.
a. The front or leading place; the place in front of (something); freq. in take the lead, take a lead. Also, the position or function of leading, leadership. L16.
b. The front section of a flock of sheep or herd of cattle. Austral. & NZ. E20.
a. Curling. The first player; the stone first played. Also, the course along which the stones are propelled. L17.
b. Bowls. The advantage of throwing the jack and bowling first. M18.
c. Boxing. The first punch delivered (of two or more). E20.
a. Campanology. The position of the first of a set of changing bells. L17.
b. Music. The giving out of a phrase or passage by one of the voices or instruments in a piece, to be followed in harmony by the others. L19.
c. Music. The most prominent part in a piece played by an orchestra, esp. a jazz band; the player or instrument that plays this; the leader of a section of an orchestra. Also, the start of a passage played by a particular instrument. Freq. attrib. M20.
Cards. The action, privilege, or obligation of playing the first card in a round or trick. Also, the card (to be) played first in a round or trick; the suit to which the first card belongs. M18.
Mining.
a. = LODE 5. E19.
b. An alluvial deposit of gold along the bed of an ancient river. M19.
Theatrical. (A person who plays) the leading or principal part in a play. E19.
The distance which ballast, coal, soil, etc. has to be conveyed to its destination. M19.
Nautical. The direction in which a rope runs fair to the deck. Cf. fairlead s.v. FAIR adjective & adverb. M19.
Electricity. A conductor (usu. a wire) conveying electric current from a source to an appliance. L19.
Electricity. The angle through which the brushes are shifted around a commutator from the neutral point. L19.
Horology. The action of a tooth of a toothed wheel in impelling another tooth or a pallet. L19.
A piece of railway track connecting a switch to a frog. E20.
Mechanics. The axial distance travelled by a screw in one turn. E20.
Phrases: give a lead (to) (Hunting etc.) go first in jumping a fence etc. to give encouragement (to the rest); fig. provide (with) a clue. have a lead on, gain a lead on have, acquire, a position in front of or an advantage over. juvenile lead: see JUVENILE adjective. leads and lags the hastening or delaying of payment to take advantage of expected changes in the exchange rate. return the lead Cards lead the suit already led by one's partner.
Attrib. & comb.: In the sense 'leading,' as lead guitarist, lead singer, etc. Special combs., as lead-bars the bars to which the traces of front coach-horses are attached; lead counsel US the senior of two or more lawyers acting for the same party; lead-horse, lead-mule a horse or mule that is guided or controlled by a lead; lead-reins the reins of the front coach-horses; lead-rope a rope used as a lead for a horse etc.; lead-screw: that moves the carriage of a lathe; lead sheet US slang a sheet of music with the melodic line and lyric only; transf. an overcoat; lead story: given greatest prominence in a newspaper etc.; lead time: between the initiation and completion of a process of production or development.