lead

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   take somebody somewhere

   We lead the prisoner to our chief.

2. 2
   verb

   be conducive to

   The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing

3. 3
   verb

   tend to or result in

   This remark lead to further arguments among the guests

4. 4
   noun

   the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge

   the lead was in the dummy

5. 5
   noun

   a position of leadership, especially in the phrase 'take the lead'

   They take the lead in any group.

6. 6
   noun

   a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire

   it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads

7. 7
   noun

   an advantage held by a competitor in a race

   The runner took the lead at the last turn.

8. 8
   noun

   evidence pointing to a possible solution

   the police are following a promising lead

Etymology

From Middle English leden, from Old English lǣdan (“to lead”), from Proto-West Germanic *laidijan, from Proto-Germanic *laidijaną (“to cause one to go, lead”), causative of Proto-Germanic *līþaną (“to go”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyt- (“to leave, die”). Cognate with West Frisian liede (“to lead”), Dutch leiden (“to lead”), German leiten (“to lead”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål lede (“to lead”), Norwegian Nynorsk leia (“to lead”), Swedish leda (“to lead”). Related to Old English līþan (“to go, travel”).