20 N‑SING [oft N n] The lead story or lead in a newspaper or on the television or radio news is the most important story. □ [+ in ] The economic situation makes the lead in tomorrow's Guardian. □ Cossiga's reaction is the lead story in the Italian press.
21 → see also leading , -led
22 to lead someone astray → see astray
23 one thing led to another → see thing
24 to lead the way → see way
▸ lead off
1 PHRASAL VERB If a door, room, or path leads off a place or leads off from a place, you can go directly from that place through that door, into that room, or along that path. □ [V P n] There were two doors leading off the central room. □ [V P + from ] The treatment rooms lead off from the swimming pool. □ [V P prep] A corridor led off to the left.
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone leads off in an activity, meeting, or conversation, they start it. □ [V P ] Whenever there was a dance he and I led off. □ [V P n] Boren surprisingly led off the most intensive line of questioning today.
▸ lead on PHRASAL VERB If someone leads you on , they encourage you to do something, especially by pretending that something is true. □ [V n P ] I bet she led him on–but how could he be so weak?
▸ lead up to
1 PHRASAL VERB The events that led up to a particular event happened one after the other until that event occurred. □ [V P P n] Alan Tomlinson has reconstructed the events that led up to the deaths. □ [V P P n] They had a series of arguments, leading up to a decision to separate.
2 → see also lead-up
3 PHRASAL VERB [usu cont] The period of time leading up to an event is the period of time immediately before it happens. □ [V P P n] …the weeks leading up to Christmas.
4 PHRASAL VERB If someone leads up to a particular subject, they gradually guide a conversation to a point where they can introduce it. □ [V P P n] I'm leading up to something quite important.
➋ lead /le d/ (leads )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Lead is a soft, grey, heavy metal. □ …drinking water supplied by old-fashioned lead pipes.
2 N‑COUNT The lead in a pencil is the centre part of it which makes a mark on paper.
lead|ed /le d I d/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Leaded petrol has had lead added to it. □ Japanese refiners stopped producing leaded petrol in December 1987.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Leaded windows are made of small pieces of glass held together by strips of lead.
lead|en /le d ə n/
1 ADJ A leaden sky or sea is dark grey and has no movement of clouds or waves. [LITERARY ] □ The weather was at its worst; bitterly cold, with leaden skies that gave minimum visibility.
2 ADJ A leaden conversation or piece of writing is not very interesting. □ …a leaden English translation from the Latin.
3 ADJ If your movements are leaden , you move slowly and heavily, usually because you are tired. [LITERARY ] □ He heard the father's leaden footsteps move down the stairs.
lead|er ◆◆◆ /liː də r / (leaders )
1 N‑COUNT [n N ] The leader of a group of people or an organization is the person who is in control of it or in charge of it. □ [+ of ] We now need a new leader of the party and a new style of leadership. □ We are going to hold a rally next month to elect a new leader.
2 N‑COUNT The leader at a particular point in a race or competition is the person who is winning at that point. □ The world drivers' championship leader crossed the line ahead of the Swede.
3 N‑COUNT The leader among a range of products or companies is the one that is most successful. □ [+ in ] Procter & Gamble is the leader in the mass market cosmetics industry.
4 N‑COUNT A leader in a newspaper is a piece of writing which gives the editor's opinion on an important news item. [BRIT ] in AM, use editorial 5 N‑COUNT A leader in a newspaper is the most important story in it. [AM ] in BRIT, use lead , lead story COLLOCATIONS leader NOUN 1
noun + leader : church, community, council, team, union; opposition, party, world; business, industry; division, group, league
adjective + leader : military, political, religious, spiritual, tribal; deputy
verb + leader : appoint, choose, elect SYNONYMS leader NOUN 1
boss: Occasionally I have to go and ask the boss for a rise.
chief: …a commission appointed by the police chief.
head: …the head waiter.
captain: …Mickey Thomas, the captain of Wrexham football club.
commander: The commander and some of the men had been released.
director: …the director of the intensive care unit at Guy's Hospital.
lead|er|board /li ːdə r bɔ r d/ N‑SING The leaderboard is a board that shows the names and positions of the leading competitors in a competition, especially a golf tournament.
lead|er|ship ◆◆◇ /liː də r ʃ I p/ (leaderships )
1 N‑COUNT You refer to people who are in control of a group or organization as the leadership . □ He is expected to hold talks with both the Croatian and Slovenian leaderships. □ [+ of ] …the Labour leadership of Haringey council in north London.