noun
lead
LEHD
noun
1
A soft, heavy, bluish-grey metal, chemical symbol Pb.
"Old paint often contained lead, which is now known to be toxic."
2
The state of being ahead in a race, contest, or competition.
"The runner built a comfortable lead in the final lap."
3
The main role in a film, play, or performance, or the person who plays it.
"She landed the lead in the school production."
4
A piece of information that may help solve a case or investigation.
"The detective followed up on a promising new lead."
verb
1
To guide or direct a person, group, or activity.
"She was chosen to lead the new marketing team."
"The trail leads down to a hidden waterfall."
How to Use Lead
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the heavy metal, or the act of guiding/being ahead of others.
Common mistake
The metal "lead" rhymes with "bed," while the verb "lead" (to guide) rhymes with "seed" — easy to mix up in writing since they're spelled the same.
Common pairings
lead a team
take the lead
lead pipe
lead role
Word Forms
leaded past tense, leads plural, leads plural, leads singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “lead”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Old paint often contained _____, which is now known to be toxic.
Etymology
The metal sense comes from Old English lēad. The verb "to lead" (guide) is a separate, unrelated word from the same Old English root as "load."