See Also: Lead (Or Lead Pad) - Horse Racing(gambling)
Lead(medicine)
lead-off(dictionary)
lead-in(dictionary)
lead(4)(dictionary)
lead(3)(dictionary)
CB lead(medicine)
CF lead(medicine)
CL lead(medicine)
CR lead(medicine)

lead(3) (iou)



lead verb1. .

I. Conduct.
verb trans. Cause to go along with oneself; spec. (a) bring or take (a person or animal) to a place (also foll. by away, down, etc.); (b) convey, usu. in a cart or other vehicle; now only north., cart (coal, corn, stones, turf, etc.). (c) (of a natural agent, e.g. the wind) carry. OE.
Joseph Hall Causing the Clouds to lead in store of rain. W. B. Stonehouse One shilling a load is the price..for leading a cart-load of warp.
b. Bring forward, adduce (testimony). Formerly also, initiate (an action) at law. Now only Scots Law. ME.
Times It would be strange if evidence competent to prove the offender's guilt..could not be led in a hearing.
verb trans. Of a person or (transf.) a circumstance, motive, etc.: accompany and show the way to (a person); esp. direct or guide by going on in advance. Freq. with away, in, out, etc. OE.
C. Rayner Mrs Miller led Freddy..up the first flight of stairs. K. Laing Sackey's long strides led him far ahead.
verb trans. Of a commander: march at the head of and direct the movement of (troops). Also foll. by on. OE.
H. Bailey Victor..had been blinded at Arras, leading his platoon into battle.
verb trans. Direct the course of (a person) by holding the hand or some part of the body or clothing; conduct (an animal) by means of a cord, halter, bridle, etc. Also foll. by away, in, off, etc. OE.
J. Herriot Five dogs were being led round the perimeter. B. Breytenbach The workers who can still see lead their blind comrades by the hand.
b. verb trans. fig. Guide by persuasion as contrasted with commands or threats. L16.
G. Puttenham Princes may be lead but not driuen.
c. verb intrans. Submit to being led. E17.
Time These people lead real easy.
With inanimate thing as obj.:
a. verb trans. Guide the course or direction of (something flexible); draw or pass (a rope etc.) over a pulley, through a hole, etc. Formerly also, trace (a line, a boundary). OE.
b. verb trans. Conduct (water etc.) through a channel or pipe. Also foll. by away, forth, off, out. ME.
c. verb trans. Steer (a boat); drive (a carriage). LME-M16.
d. verb intrans. Nautical. Of a rope: admit of being led. M19.
verb trans. Guide with reference to action or opinion; bring by persuasion or counsel to or into a condition, bring by argument etc. to a conclusion; induce to do. ME.
Law Reports There was nothing in the prospectus to lead him to such a conclusion. M. Baring It was Master C. who had led him into mischief. W. Abish Her appearance, her surname..led him to assume that she was of German extraction.
b. Law. Put a question to (a witness) in such a way as to suggest the answer required. Cf. leading question s.v. LEADING adjective. Chiefly US. M19.
a. verb trans. & intrans. Of a thoroughfare etc.: serve as a passage or approach for (a person) to or into a place. ME.
J. Steinbeck The rutted sandy road that led through the brushy country. fig.: R. K. Narayan Staying in Malgudi would not lead him anywhere.
b. verb intrans. Foll. by to: tend towards as a consequence; end in. LME.
Anthony Smith Damage to a part of the cortex invariably led to speech disorder. Christian Aid News These policies have led to increased bank lending.
c. verb intrans. Form a channel into; form a connecting link to (something). M19.
verb trans. Conduct (affairs); manage, govern. ME-L16.
verb trans. Deal with, treat. As pa. pple: circumstanced, situated, in a specified condition. ME-L15.
II. Carry on.
verb trans. Engage in, perform (a dance, a song); utter sounds of (joy or mournfulness). OE-L15.
verb trans. Go through and experience, pass, (a period of time, now usu. a life or a particular kind of life). OE.
T. Fuller He led his old age in London. L. Hellman Julia was leading a strange life.
b. Pass through (pain, suffering); bear, endure. ME-L15.
III. Precede, be foremost. (Cf. sense 2.)
verb trans. Have the first place in. LME.
P. Bailey May our country ever lead The world, for she is worthiest. Harper's Magazine Of the causes..pneumonia led the list.
b. verb intrans. & trans. Have the lead (over) in a race, match, game, etc.; be ahead (of). L18.
Oxford Mail An Abingdon side who led 6-3 at half-time. Daily Telegraph Northants, with seven wickets standing, lead Kent by 90 runs.
c. verb trans. Outnumber. L20.
Times Advancing issues led declines by a ratio of only three to two.
verb trans. Take the principal part in (proceedings of any kind); be at the head of (a party, a movement); have the official initiative in the proceedings of (a deliberative body). Also, set (a fashion). M17.
T. Fuller They should rather lead a fashion of thrift, than follow one of riot. D. DeLillo She led a more or less daily protest against..her mother's habits. M. Foot He lacked the..sympathy to understand the Labour movement which he aspired to lead.
b. Perform one's part in (singing, a musical performance) so as to give the cue to others; give the cue to (other singers or performers) by performing one's part. M19.
G. Manville Fenn He..led the chorus.
verb intrans.
a. Campanology. Be the first of the changing bells. L17.
b. Music. In a fugue etc.: introduce a subject which is taken up by the other parts successively. L19.
Cards.
a. verb intrans. Play the first card in a round or trick. Also foll. by off. L17.
b. verb trans. Play (a specified card) as first player; play a card of (a specified suit). Also foll. by out. M18.
Bridge Magazine Now he leads a low spade which South wins.
a. verb trans. Of a barrister: act as leading counsel in (a case); act as leader to (another barrister). E19.
b. verb intrans. Appear as leading counsel (for the prosecution, defence, the plaintiff, the defendant). M19.
A. Trollope Of course I must lead in defending her.
verb intrans. Boxing. Direct a punch at one's opponent, esp. as the first of a series of punches. Freq. with with. L19.
verb trans. Shooting. Aim ahead of (a moving target) so that the target and the missile reach the same point simultaneously. L19.
verb intrans. Give prominence to an event, story, etc. Foll. by on, with. E20.
Times For Princess Margaret's wedding The Times..did not even lead with the story.
Phrases: lead a person a chase give a pursuer trouble by one's speed or circuitous course. lead a person a dance: see DANCE noun. lead a person a difficult life, lead a person an uncomfortable life, etc., subject a person to a life of constant difficulty, discomfort, etc. lead apes (in hell): see APE noun. lead by the nose cause to obey submissively. lead captive take away or escort as a prisoner. lead in prayer guide (a congregation) in public prayers. lead large: see LARGE adverb. lead the dance: see DANCE noun. lead the prayers (of a congregation) = lead in prayer above. lead the ring: see RING noun1. lead the van be in the forefront. lead the way go in advance of others, take the lead in an expedition or course of action. lead up the garden (path) lead on, entice; mislead, deceive. lead with one's chin (of a boxer) leave one's chin unprotected; fig. behave or speak incautiously.
With adverbs & prepositions in specialized senses: lead away induce to follow unthinkingly (usu. in pass.). lead off verb phr. trans. & intrans. (a) take the first steps in (a dance, a ball); (b) begin (a performance), open (a conversation, a discussion) (freq. foll. by with). lead on (a) verb phr. trans. induce gradually to advance; entice or beguile into going to greater lengths; (b) verb phr. intrans. direct conversation to a subject. lead out take the first steps in (a dance); conduct (a partner) into the dance. lead through (a) verb phr. trans. (Cards) force to be played before an opponent; (b) verb phr. intrans. (of two climbers) act alternately as leader over successive stretches of rock. lead up (a) verb phr. trans. (now rare or obsolete) = lead out above; (b) verb phr. intrans. form a gradual introduction to; direct one's talk gradually to a topic or point; (c) verb phr. intrans. (foll. by to) lead a card and so allow the safe play of (a card held by another player).