a heavy toxic bluish-white metallic element that is highly malleable: occurs principally as galena and used in alloys, accumulators, cable sheaths, paints, and as a radiation shield. Symbol: Pb; atomic no: 82; atomic wt: 207.2; valency: 2 or 4; relative density: 11.35; melting pt: 327.502°C; boiling pt: 1750°C
▶ Related adjectives: plumbic, plumbeous, plumbous
2.
a lead weight suspended on a line used to take soundings of the depth of water
3. swing the lead
4.
lead weights or shot, as used in cartridges, fishing lines, etc
5.
a thin grooved strip of lead for holding small panes of glass or pieces of stained glass
6. (plural)
a.
thin sheets or strips of lead used as a roof covering
b.
a flat or low-pitched roof covered with such sheets
7. printing
a thin strip of type metal used for spacing between lines of hot-metal type
Compare reglet (sense 2)
8.
a.
graphite or a mixture containing graphite, clay, etc, used for drawing
b.
a thin stick of this material, esp the core of a pencil
9. (modifier)
of, consisting of, relating to, or containing lead
10. go down like a lead balloon
verb(transitive)
11.
to fill or treat with lead
12.
to surround, cover, or secure with lead or leads
13. printing
to space (type) by use of leads
Derived forms
leadless (ˈleadless)
adjective
leady (ˈleady)
adjective
Word origin
Old English; related to Dutch lood, German Lot
plumbum in American English
(ˈplʌmbəm)
noun
Chemistry
lead
Word origin
[1910–15; ‹ L]This word is first recorded in the period 1910–15. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: blackout, coverage, isotope, payoff, zing