lead

I 1. verb

1)

Michelle led them into the house

Syn:

guide, conduct, show, show the way, lead the way, usher, escort, steer, pilot, shepherd; accompany, see, take

Ant:

follow

2)

he led us to believe they were lying

Syn:

cause, induce, prompt, move, persuade, influence, drive, condition, make; incline, dispose, predispose

3)

this might lead to job losses

Syn:

result in, cause, bring on/about, give rise to, be the cause of, make happen, create, produce, occasion, effect, generate, contribute to, promote; provoke, stir up, spark off, arouse, foment, instigate; involve, necessitate, entail; formal effectuate

Ant:

prevent

4)

he led a march to the city center

Syn:

be at the head of, be at the front of, head, spearhead; precede

Ant:

follow

5)

she led a coalition of radicals

Syn:

be the leader of, be the head of, preside over, head, command, govern, rule, be in charge of, be in command of, be in control of, run, control, direct, be at the helm of; administer, organize, manage; reign over, be in power over; informal head up

Ant:

serve in

6)

the Bengals were leading at halftime

Syn:

be ahead, be winning, be (out) in front, be in the lead, be first, be on top

Ant:

trail

7)

the champion was leading the field

Syn:

be at the front of, be first in, be ahead of, head; outrun, outstrip, outpace, leave behind, draw away from; outdo, outclass, beat; informal leave standing

Ant:

trail

8)

I just want to lead a normal life

Syn:

experience, have, live, spend

2. noun

1)

I was in the lead early on

Syn:

the leading position, first place, the van, the vanguard; ahead, in front, winning

2)

they took the lead in the personal computer market

Syn:

first position, forefront, primacy, dominance, superiority, ascendancy; preeminence, supremacy, advantage, upper hand, whip hand

3)

playing the lead

Syn:

leading role, star/starring role, title role, principal part; principal character, male lead, female lead, leading man, leading lady

4)

a Labrador on a lead

Syn:

leash, tether, rope, chain, cord

5)

detectives were following up a new lead

Syn:

clue, hint, tip, tip-off, suggestion, indication, sign, pointer

3. adjective

the lead position

- lead something off

- lead someone on

- lead the way

- lead up to

Syn:

leading, first, top, foremost, front, head; chief, principal, main, premier

II noun, informal

get that lead down to forensics immediately

- get the lead out

Syn:

bullet, slug, pellet; shot, buckshot, ammunition