- lead
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 example set by sbADJECTIVE▪ moral (esp. BrE)VERB + LEAD▪ give, take▪
The government should give a lead in tackling racism.
▪ followPREPOSITION▪ lead in▪We should follow their lead in banning chemical weapons.
▪ lead on▪corporations that have chosen to take the lead on the privacy issue
2 position ahead of other peopleADJECTIVE▪ big, clear, comfortable, commanding, good, healthy, huge, significant, sizeable, solid, strong, substantial▪For the time being, China has a solid lead over India.
▪ narrow, slight, slim, small▪ two-game, three-length, ten-point, etc.▪ overall▪ earlyVERB + LEAD▪ be in, gain, have▪She has a narrow lead over the other runners.
▪ go into, move into, take▪They took an early lead.
▪ build (esp. AmE), build up, establish▪The team has now built up a commanding lead.
▪ hold, keep, maintain, retain▪ lose▪ regain, retake▪They regained the lead with only a few minutes left to play.
▪ put sb/sth (back) into▪That game puts her back into the lead.
▪ extend, increase, open (esp. AmE), open up, widen▪Houston increased their lead to 13–7
▪He had opened up a small lead over his opponent.
▪ givePREPOSITION▪ in the lead, into the lead▪We were struggling to stay in the lead.
▪ lead over▪This win gives the team a two-point lead over their closest rival.
3 main part in a play, show, etc.ADJECTIVE▪ romantic▪ female, maleVERB + LEAD▪ play▪Her big break came when she was chosen to play the lead in a Broadway musical.
▪ sing▪She sings lead on four tracks.
LEAD + NOUN▪ character, role▪ actor, actress, dancer, singer, vocalist, vocals▪ guitar, guitarist4 clueADJECTIVE▪ good, promising, solid▪Some promising leads are already emerging.
▪They have several solid leads in their investigation.
▪ new▪ possible▪The police are following every possible lead.
▪ false▪It turned out to be a false lead.
VERB + LEAD▪ have▪ find, get▪Did you find any leads when you searched it?
▪At last we got a lead on the McCreary case.
▪ follow, pursue▪ givePREPOSITION▪ lead as to▪He said that he has a lead as to where Dylan may be.
▪ lead on▪{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}leads on the murderer's identity
nounADJECTIVE▪ moltenVERB + LEAD▪ be made ofLEAD + NOUN▪ pipe, piping▪ paint▪ shot▪ pencil▪ contamination, exposure, poisoning▪Lead exposure can be harmful to everyone, especially young children and babies.
▪ content, levels▪ industry, mine, mining{{Roman}}III.{{/Roman}}verbLead is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑flight, ↑footpath, ↑footprint, ↑general, ↑idea, ↑lane, ↑nerve, ↑passage, ↑path, ↑pipe, ↑road, ↑route, ↑street, ↑track, ↑trail, ↑tunnel, ↑wireLead is used with these nouns as the object: ↑army, ↑assault, ↑attack, ↑band, ↑boycott, ↑brigade, ↑campaign, ↑charge, ↑church, ↑class, ↑coalition, ↑congregation, ↑contingent, ↑convoy, ↑country, ↑coup, ↑crew, ↑crusade, ↑delegation, ↑demonstration, ↑development, ↑discussion, ↑division, ↑effort, ↑enquiry, ↑existence, ↑expedition, ↑faction, ↑field, ↑fight, ↑follower, ↑force, ↑group, ↑horse, ↑hunt, ↑initiative, ↑insurrection, ↑investigation, ↑league, ↑life, ↑lifestyle, ↑march, ↑mob, ↑movement, ↑mutiny, ↑nation, ↑negotiation, ↑opposition, ↑orchestra, ↑pack, ↑panel, ↑parade, ↑party, ↑poll, ↑pony, ↑prayer, ↑procession, ↑project, ↑protest, ↑race, ↑rebel, ↑rebellion, ↑regime, ↑research, ↑retreat, ↑revival, ↑revolt, ↑revolution, ↑rising, ↑search, ↑seminar, ↑side, ↑singing, ↑squad, ↑struggle, ↑syndicate, ↑task force, ↑team, ↑tour, ↑tribute, ↑troops, ↑uprising, ↑way, ↑workshop, ↑world, ↑worship{{Roman}}IV.{{/Roman}}verb1 show the wayADVERB▪ away, back, on, out▪‘Lead on!’ said Casey.
VERB + LEAD▪ help (to)▪Five people helping to lead a convoy of aid are feared dead.
▪ allow sb to, let sb▪Let me lead the way.
PREPOSITION▪ along, down, into, out of, through, to, etc.▪She led them along a dark corridor to a small room.
PHRASES▪ lead the way▪You lead the way and we'll follow.
2 go to a placeADVERB▪ directly▪ back, down, up▪An old track led back through the woods.
▪ nowhere, somewhere (often figurative)▪Often there are discoveries which lead nowhere.
PREPOSITION▪ from▪ onto▪The glass doors lead out onto a rooftop garden.
▪ to▪a path leading from the village to the old church
3 causeADVERB▪ normally, usually▪ inevitably, inexorably, invariably▪Industrialization inevitably led to the expansion of the urban working class.
▪ certainly, likely, undoubtedly▪It will almost certainly be a disaster.
▪Such actions would most likely lead to the decline of rural communities.
▪ not necessarily▪The use of soft drugs does not necessarily lead to a progression to hard drugs.
▪ automatically▪Business success does not automatically lead to financial success.
▪ naturally▪Discussion of a client's tax affairs will lead naturally into consideration of investment options.
▪ in turn▪These measures in turn led to an increased opportunity for independent music production.
▪ directly▪ indirectly▪ eventually, finally, ultimatelyVERB + LEAD▪ can, may, might, must▪ can easily, can only▪Sugar and fat can easily lead to obesity.
▪ may well, might well▪The carbon tax might well lead to a doubling of prices for fossil fuels.
▪ appear to, seem to▪ be expected to, be likely to, tend to▪Worrying about your weight is more likely to lead to low self-esteem.
▪ be bound toPREPOSITION▪ to▪the events that led eventually to war
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
