Dictionary entry details
• LEAD (noun)
Meaning:
A soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull grey
Classified under:
Nouns denoting substances
Synonyms:
Pb; lead; atomic number 82
Context example:
the children were playing with lead soldiers
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
metal; metallic element (any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "lead"):
hard lead (unrefined lead that is hard because of the impurities it contains)
antimonial lead; hard lead (a lead alloy that contains about 5% antimony)
pig lead (lead that is cast in pigs)
Holonyms ("lead" is a substance of...):
cerussite; white lead ore (a mineral consisting of lead carbonate that is an important source of lead)
galena (soft blue-grey mineral; lead sulfide; a major source of lead)
Meaning:
An advantage held by a competitor in a race
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Context example:
he took the lead at the last turn
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
advantage; vantage (the quality of having a superior or more favorable position)
Meaning:
Evidence pointing to a possible solution
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Synonyms:
track; trail; lead
Context examples:
the police are following a promising lead / the trail led straight to the perpetrator
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
evidence; grounds (your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief)
Meaning:
A position of leadership (especially in the phrase 'take the lead')
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Context examples:
he takes the lead in any group / we were just waiting for someone to take the lead / they didn't follow our lead
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
leadership; leading (the activity of leading)
Meaning:
The angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
angle (the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians)
Meaning:
The introductory section of a story
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
lead-in; lede; lead
Context example:
it was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matter
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
section; subdivision (a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical))
Holonyms ("lead" is a part of...):
news article; news story; newspaper article (an article reporting news)
Meaning:
(sports) the score by which a team or individual is winning
Classified under:
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
score (a number that expresses the accomplishment of a team or an individual in a game or contest)
Domain category:
athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)
Antonym:
deficit ((sports) the score by which a team or individual is losing)
Meaning:
An actor who plays a principal role
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Synonyms:
principal; star; lead
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
actor; histrion; player; role player; thespian (a theatrical performer)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "lead"):
television star; TV star (a star in a television show)
idol; matinee idol (someone who is adored blindly and excessively)
film star; movie star (a star who plays leading roles in the cinema)
co-star (one of two actors who are given equal status as stars in a play or film)
Meaning:
(baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base
Classified under:
Nouns denoting spatial position
Context example:
he took a long lead off first
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
place; position (the particular portion of space occupied by something)
Domain category:
baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)
Meaning:
An indication of potential opportunity
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
steer; confidential information; tip; hint; wind; lead
Context examples:
he got a tip on the stock market / a good lead for a job
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
counsel; counseling; counselling; direction; guidance (something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action)
Meaning:
A news story of major importance
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
lead story; lead
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
news article; news story; newspaper article (an article reporting news)
Meaning:
The timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
spark advance; lead
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
timing (the time when something happens)
Meaning:
Restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
leash; tether; lead
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
constraint; restraint (a device that retards something's motion)
Meaning:
Thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
leading; lead
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
slip; strip (artifact consisting of a narrow flat piece of material)
Meaning:
Mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
pencil lead; lead
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
black lead; graphite; plumbago (used as a lubricant and as a moderator in nuclear reactors)
Holonyms ("lead" is a part of...):
lead pencil (pencil that has graphite as the marking substance)
Meaning:
A jumper that consists of a short piece of wire
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
booster cable; jumper cable; jumper lead; lead
Context example:
it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
jumper (a small connector used to make temporary electrical connections)
conducting wire; wire (a metal conductor that carries electricity over a distance)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "lead"):
clip lead (a short piece of wire with alligator clips on both ends)
Meaning:
The playing of a card to start a trick in bridge
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Context example:
the lead was in the dummy
Hypernyms ("lead" is a kind of...):
play; turn ((game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession)
Holonyms ("lead" is a part of...):
card game; cards (a game played with playing cards)
• LEAD (verb)
Meaning:
Take somebody somewhere
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
lead; guide; take; direct; conduct
Context examples:
We lead him to our chief / can you take me to the main entrance? / He conducted us to the palace
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lead"):
beacon (guide with a beacon)
hand (guide or conduct or usher somewhere)
lead astray; misdirect; misguide; mislead (lead someone in the wrong direction or give someone wrong directions)
show; usher (show (someone) to their seats, as in theaters or auditoriums)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Sentence example:
The men lead the horses across the field
Meaning:
Have as a result or residue
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
lead; result; leave
Context examples:
The water left a mark on the silk dress / Her blood left a stain on the napkin
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
bring about; give rise; produce (cause to happen, occur or exist)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lead"):
lead (tend to or result in)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Tend to or result in
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context example:
This remark lead to further arguments among the guests
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
lead; leave; result (have as a result or residue)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lead"):
entail; implicate (impose, involve, or imply as a necessary accompaniment or result)
necessitate (cause to be a concomitant)
Sentence frame:
Something is ----ing PP
Meaning:
Travel in front of; go in advance of others
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
head; lead
Context example:
The procession was headed by John
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
lead; precede (move ahead (of others) in time or space)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lead"):
draw away (move ahead of (one's competitors) in a race)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Meaning:
Cause to undertake a certain action
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Context example:
Her greed led her to forge the checks
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
cause; get; have; induce; make; stimulate (cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lead"):
give (guide or direct, as by behavior of persuasion)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Sentence example:
They lead him to write the letter
Meaning:
Stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
extend; run; pass; lead; go
Context examples:
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
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
be (occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lead"):
come (extend or reach)
radiate; ray (extend or spread outward from a center or focus or inward towards a center)
go deep; go far (extend in importance or range)
Sentence frame:
Something is ----ing PP
Meaning:
Be in charge of
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
head; lead
Context example:
Who is heading this project?
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
direct (be in charge of)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lead"):
take charge; take control; take hold (assume control)
spearhead (be the leader of)
captain (be the captain of a sports team)
chair; chairman (act or preside as chair, as of an academic department in a university)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sentence example:
They lead him to write the letter
Meaning:
Be ahead of others; be the first
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
top; lead
Context example:
she topped her class every year
"Lead" entails doing...:
compete; contend; vie (compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s PP
Meaning:
Be conducive to
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
conduce; contribute; lead
Context example:
The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
advance; boost; encourage; further; promote (contribute to the progress or growth of)
Sentence frame:
Something is ----ing PP
Meaning:
Lead, as in the performance of a composition
Classified under:
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
Synonyms:
conduct; direct; lead
Context example:
conduct an orchestra; Barenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for years
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
do; execute; perform (carry out or perform an action)
Domain category:
music (musical activity (singing or whistling etc.))
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Pass or spend
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context example:
lead a good life
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
pass; spend (pass (time) in a specific way)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Lead, extend, or afford access
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
lead; go
Context examples:
This door goes to the basement / The road runs South
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
be (occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere)
Sentence frame:
Something is ----ing PP
Meaning:
Move ahead (of others) in time or space
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
precede; lead
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lead"):
head; lead (travel in front of; go in advance of others)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Cause something to pass or lead somewhere
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
lead; run
Context example:
Run the wire behind the cabinet
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
make pass; pass (cause to pass)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something PP
Meaning:
Preside over
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
moderate; chair; lead
Context example:
John moderated the discussion
Hypernyms (to "lead" is one way to...):
discuss; hash out; talk over (speak with others about (something); talk (something) over in detail; have a discussion)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
