From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
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]