lead
- lead
{{11}}lead (n.1) heavy metal, O.E. lead, from W.Gmc. *loudhom (Cf. O.Fris. lad, M.Du. loot, Du. lood "lead," Ger. Lot "weight, plummet"). The name and the skill in using the metal seem to have been borrowed from the Celts (Cf. O.Ir. luaide), probably from PIE root *plou(d)- "to flow." Figurative of heaviness since at least early 14c. Black lead was an old name for "graphite," hence lead pencil (1680s) and the colloquial figurative phrase to have lead in one's pencil "be possessed of (especially male sexual) vigor," attested by 1902. Lead balloon "a failure," Amer.Eng. slang, attested by 1957 (as a type of something heavy that can be kept up only with effort, from 1904). Lead-footed "slow" is from 1896; opposite sense of "fast" emerged 1940s in trucker's jargon, from notion of a foot heavy on the gas pedal.
{{12}}lead (n.2) c.1300, "action of leading," from LEAD (Cf. lead) (v.1). Meaning "the front or leading place" is from 1560s. Johnson stigmatized it as "a low, despicable word." Sense in card-playing is from 1742; in theater, from 1831; in journalism, from 1912; in jazz bands, from 1934.
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lead (
v.1) "
to guide,"
O.E. lædan "
cause to go with one, lead, guide, conduct, carry; sprout forth; bring forth, pass (one's life)," causative of
liðan "
to travel," from
W.Gmc. *laidjan (
Cf. O.S. lithan,
O.N. liða "
to go,"
O.H.G. ga-lidan "
to travel,"
Goth. ga-leiþan "
to go"), from
PIE *leit- "
to go forth." Meaning "
to be in first place" is from late 14c. Sense in card playing is from 1670s. Related:
Led;
LEADING (
Cf. leading).
Lead-off "
commencement, beginning" attested from 1879;
lead-in "
introduction, opening" is from 1928.
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lead (
v.2) early 15c., "
to make of lead," from
LEAD (
Cf. lead) (
n.1). Meaning "
to cover with lead" is from mid-15c. Related:
Leaded (early 13c.);
LEADING (
Cf. leading).
Etymology dictionary.
2014.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
Lead — (pronEng|ˈlɛd) is a main group element with a symbol Pb ( la. plumbum). Lead has the atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal, also considered to be one of the heavy metals. Lead has a bluish white color when freshly cut, but… … Wikipedia
Lead — (l[e^]d), n. [OE. led, leed, lead, AS. le[ a]d; akin to D. lood, MHG. l[=o]t, G. loth plummet, sounding lead, small weight, Sw. & Dan. lod. [root]123.] 1. (Chem.) One of the elements, a heavy, pliable, inelastic metal, having a bright, bluish… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Lead — (l[=e]d), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Led} (l[e^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Leading}.] [OE. leden, AS. l[=ae]dan (akin to OS. l[=e]dian, D. leiden, G. leiten, Icel. le[imac][eth]a, Sw. leda, Dan. lede), properly a causative fr. AS. li[eth]an to go; akin to… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Lead — Lead, n. 1. The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction; as, to take the lead; to be under the lead of another. [1913 Webster] At the time I speak of, and having a momentary lead, . . . I am sure I did my country important service.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Lead — 〈[ li:d] n. 15; Mus.〉 Führungsstimme in einer Jazzband od. Popgruppe [zu engl. lead „führen“] * * * Lead [li:d ], das; [s], s [engl. lead, zu: to lead = (an)führen]: 1. <o. Pl.> führende ↑ Stimme (3 b) in einer [Jazz]band ( … Universal-Lexikon
Lead — (von engl. to lead = „(an)führen“, [liːd]) hat unterschiedliche Bedeutungen: Lead (Titularbistum) Eine Stadt in der Nähe von Rapid City, siehe Lead (South Dakota). Leadklettern; Variante des Sportkletterns Marketing / Vertrieb: Die erfolgreiche… … Deutsch Wikipedia
lead — 1 vt led, lead·ing: to suggest the desired answer to (a witness) by asking leading questions lead 2 n: something serving as a tip, indication, or clue the police have only one lead in the murder investigation Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law.… … Law dictionary
Lead — Lead, v. i. 1. To guide or conduct, as by accompanying, going before, showing, influencing, directing with authority, etc.; to have precedence or pre[ e]minence; to be first or chief; used in most of the senses of lead, v. t. [1913 Webster] 2. To … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Lead Me On — may refer to:* Lead Me On (album), a 1988 album by Amy Grant ** Lead Me On (song), a song from the album above* Lead Me On , a 1979 hit song by Maxine Nightingale and also the title of its parent album* Lead Me On (Kelly Joe Phelps album) , an… … Wikipedia
Lead-In — steht für ein Konzept der Publikumsbindung im Programmablauf, siehe Lead in (Unterhaltungsmedien) bei optischen Datenträgern den Bereich vor den eigentlichen Nutzdaten, siehe Lead in (Datenträger) … Deutsch Wikipedia
Lead — (l[e^]d), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Leaded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Leading}.] 1. To cover, fill, or affect with lead; as, continuous firing leads the grooves of a rifle. [1913 Webster] 2. (Print.) To place leads between the lines of; as, to lead a page;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
