leadˈership noun

1. The office of leader or conductor
2. Those acting as leaders of a particular organization or group
3. Ability to lead

leadˈing noun

1. Guidance
2. Spiritual guidance
3. Leadership
4. Carting (crops, etc)

1. Acting as leader
2. Directing or controlling
3. Principal
4. Preceding

leadˈerboard noun

A scoreboard that lists the names and scores of the current leaders in a sporting, esp golf, competition

leadˈer-caˈble noun

A cable on the sea-bottom by which ships with induction-receiving apparatus can find their way into port

Leader of the House of Commons or Leader of the House of Lords noun

A senior member of the government officially responsible for initiating the business of the House

leadˈ-in noun

1. The part of the groove on a record before the start of the recording, opp to lead-out (also lead-in groove)
2. The cable connecting the transmitter or receiver to the elevated part of an aerial
3. The introduction to, or introductory passage of, a commercial, discussion, newspaper article, piece of music, etc (also adjective)

leading aircraftman or leading aircraftsman, or leading aircraftwoman or leading aircraftswoman noun

The rank above aircraft(s)man or aircraft(s)woman

leading business noun (rare)

The acting of the principal parts or roles in plays

leading case noun (law)

A case serving as a precedent

leading counsel noun

Counsel who takes precedence over another in conducting a case

leading dog noun (Aust and NZ)

A sheepdog trained to control sheep by running ahead of them

leading edge noun

1. The edge first met
2. The foremost edge of an aerofoil or propeller blade
3. The rising amplitude portion of a pulse signal (telecommunications)
4. The forefront, esp in scientific or technical development (figurative)

leading lady or leading man noun

The principal actress or actor in a play

leading light noun

A very influential member

leading note noun (music)

The seventh tone of a major or minor scale, which leads the hearer to expect the tonic to follow

leading question noun

A question put in such a way as to suggest the desired answer

leading reins or leading strings plural noun (US)

1. Children's walking reins
2. Vexatious care or custody

leadˈ-off noun

A first move (see also lead off below)

leadˈ-out noun

1. The part of the groove on a record after the recording has finished, opp to lead-in (also lead-out groove)
2. A wire by which electric current can enter or leave an electronic instrument

lead time noun (orig US)

1. The time between the conception or design of a product, factory, alteration, etc and its production, completion, implementation, etc
2. The time taken for delivery of goods after an order has been placed

leadˈ-up noun

1. Something that introduces or causes something else
2. The period immediately prior to something happening

lead apes in hell

Imagined to be the lot of old maids in the afterlife

lead astray

1. To draw into a wrong course
2. To seduce from proper conduct

lead by the nose

To make (someone) follow submissively

lead in (Scot)

To house the harvest

lead in prayer

To lead the offering up of prayer in an assembly, uniting the prayers of others

lead off

To begin or take the start in anything

lead on

1. To persuade to go on, to draw on
2. To persuade to do something foolish
3. To trick or deceive

lead out

1. To conduct to execution or a dance
2. To bring out by preceding
3. To begin to play (cards)

leads and lags (commerce)

1. In international trade, the early payment of bills, dividends, etc to concerns abroad, and the delayed invoicing of foreign customers and delayed conversion of foreign currencies into sterling (in order to take advantage of expected changes in the rate of exchange), which have an effect on the balance of payments situation
2. Any variations in the times of completion of transactions

lead someone a dance see under dance

lead the way

To go first and guide others

lead up to

1. To bring about by degrees, to prepare for by steps or stages
2. To happen immediately before
3. To play in challenge to, or with a view to weakness in (cards)