lead
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: lĕd
ipa: /lɛd/
rhymes: -ɛd
homophone: led
Forms: form: leads
form: ♄
Etymology: From Middle English led, leed, from Old English lēad (“lead”), from Proto-West Germanic *laud (“lead”), possibly borrowed from Proto-Celtic *ɸloudom, from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow”).
Cognate with Scots leid, lede (“lead”), North Frisian lud, luad (“lead”), West Frisian lead (“lead”), Dutch lood (“lead”), Low German Lod (“solder, plummet”), German Lot (“solder, plummet, sounding line”), Swedish lod (“solder, plummet”), Icelandic lóð (“a plumb, weight”), Irish luaidhe (“lead”) Latin plumbum (“lead”), Finnish luoti (“bullet”). Doublet of loth. More at flow.
* (graphite in a pencil): Graphite was once believed to be a form of lead; see black lead and plumbago.
Senses: synonyms: plumbum
glosses: A heavy, pliable, inelastic metal element, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished; both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity. It is easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of solder and type metal. Atomic number 82, symbol Pb (from Latin plumbum).
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: A plummet or mass of lead attached to a line, used in sounding depth at sea or (dated) to estimate velocity in knots.
glosses: A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.
examples: text: This copy has too much lead; I prefer less space between the lines.
topics: media
publishing
typography
glosses: Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.
glosses: Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.
examples: text: I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top.
ref: 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Building”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
text: These rooms were on a level with the apartments of our friends Bows and Costigan next door at No. 4; and by reaching over the communicating leads, Grady could command the mignonette-box which bloomed in Bows’s window.
ref: 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
glosses: A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.
synonyms: pencil lead
glosses: A thin cylinder of graphite used in pencils.
examples: text: They pumped him full of lead.
text: All my life I want money and power
Respect my mind or die from lead shower
ref: 2012, “Backseat Freestyle”, performed by Kendrick Lamar:
glosses: Bullets; ammunition.
examples: text: You must remember to wear your leads.
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: X-ray protective clothing lined with lead.
Derived terms: sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: acetate of lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: arm the lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: backlead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: black lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: blacklead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: blue lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: cast the lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: heave the lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: chromate of lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: coasting lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: cold lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: corroding lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: decalead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: deep-sea lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: delead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: dilead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: eat lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: eka-lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: get the lead out
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: go down like a lead balloon
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: go down like a lead zeppelin
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: go over as well as a lead balloon
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: go over like a lead balloon
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: go over like a lead zeppelin
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: green lead ore
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: greylead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: hand lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: heptalead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: hexalead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lap in lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lay in lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead accumulator
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead acetate
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-acid
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-acid battery
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadamalgam
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-arming
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead arsenate
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-ash
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-ashes
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-back
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead balloon
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-bath
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-blue
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead bronze
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-brown
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead bullion
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-burn
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead burning
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead carbonate
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead cell
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead chamber
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead chamber process
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead chloride
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead climbing
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead colic
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-colored
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-coloured
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead color
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead colour
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-comb
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead crystal
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead dichloride
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead dinitrate
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead dioxide
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead distemper
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-eater
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leaded
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leaden
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead encephalopathy
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadfield
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-flat
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-foot
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadfoot
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-footed
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadfooted
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-free
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadfree
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead glance
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead glass
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-glaze
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-glazed
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-gray
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-grey
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadholder
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead hopping
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead hydride
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead hydrogen arsenate
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead in one's pencil
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead iodide
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadish
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: Leadite
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadless
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-light
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadlight
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-like
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadlike
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead line
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-man
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-marcasite
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead mill
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead monoxide
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-nail
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead nitrate
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead ocher
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead ochre
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead oxide
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead paint
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead palsy
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-paper
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-papered
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead paralysis
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead pencil
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead peroxide
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-pipe cinch
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadplant
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead plant
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-plaster
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead poisoner
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-poisoning
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead poisoning
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-pot
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadproof
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead ratio
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-reeve
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead sandwich
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead selenide
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead shot
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-sinker
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadsman
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-soap
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-spar
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead suboxide
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead sugar
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-sugar
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead sulfate
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead sulfide
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead sulphide
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead sulphate
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-swing
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-swinger
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead swinger
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-swinging
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead tetraethyl
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead tetroxide
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-tin
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-tree
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead vanadate
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: Leadville
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-vitriol
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-wash
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-water
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadwood
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead wool
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadwork
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-work
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-works
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: lead-wort
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadwort
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: leadzyme
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: Ledder
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: low-background lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: mock lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: nonalead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: nonlead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: octalead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: organolead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: pencil lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: pentalead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: pig lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: pot lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: radiolead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: red lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: red lead ore
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: relead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: stop lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: strike a lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: sugar of lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: swing the lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: tea lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: telluride of lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: tetraethyllead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: tetraethyl lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: tetralead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: thorium lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: throw the lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: traffic lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: translead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: unlead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: unleaded
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: uranium lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: uranium-lead dating
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: Welsh lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: white lead
sense: terms derived from the noun "lead"
word: white lead ore