Lead | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Lēad, n.

noun

(lĕd), n. [A-S. lead, læd, D. lood, Icel. lōdh, Sw. & Dan. lod, O. Fries. lād, M. H. Ger. lot, N. H. Ger. loth, lead, sounding lead, a leaden weight.]

Sense 1. A metal of a dull white color, with a cast of blue. It is the least elastic and sonorous of all the metals, and at the same time it is soft and easily fusible. Its specific gravity when pure is 11.445. It is found native in small masses, but generally mineralized by sulphur, and sometimes by other substances.

Sense 2. An article made of lead; as, (a.) A plummet, or mass of lead, used in sounding at sea. (b.) (Print.) A thin plate of type-metal, used to separate lines in printing. (c.) A small cylinder of black lead or plumbago, used in pencils. (d.) Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs; hence, a roof covered with lead-sheets.

I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top. Bacon.

Lĕad, v. t.

verbtransitive

(lĕd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. LEADED; p. pr. & vb. n. LEADING.]

To cover with lead; to fit with lead.
(Print.) To widen the space between lines by inserting a lead or leads.

Lēad, v. t.

verbtransitive

(leed), v. t. [imp. & p. p. LED; p. pr. & vb. n. LEADING.] [A-S. lædan, O. Sax. lædian, lædean, Fries. leda, D. leiden, Icel. leiðha, Sw. leda, Dan. lede, O. H. Ger. leitan, N. H. Ger. leiten; properly v. causative from A-S. liðian, O. Sax. līthan, Icel. liðha, O. H. Ger. lîdan, Goth. leithan, to go, to travel.] 1. To show the way to, as to a town or street; to cause to go; to conduct or guide in a way. He leadeth me beside the still waters. Ps. xxiii. 2. 2. To guide by the hand, as a child, or animal. In thy right hand lead with thee The mountain nymph, sweet Liberty. Milton. 3. To conduct or direct, as a chief or commander; to direct and govern; as, a general leads his troops to battle and to victory. Christ took not on him flesh and blood that he might conquer nations, lead armies, and possess places. South.

To introduce by going first; to precede. “As Hesperus, that leads the sun his way.” Fairfax.
To bring by guidance or by influence; as, self-examination may lead us to a knowledge of ourselves.
To draw; to entice; to allure; to induce; to prevail on; to influence.

He was driven by the necessities of the times, more than led by his own disposition, to any rigor of actions. K. Charles. 7. To draw out; to pass; to spend. That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 1 Tim. ii. 2. Now thou with shadowed hint confuse A life that leads melodious days. Tennyson. 8. To cause to pass or spend. You remember . . . the life he used to lead his wife and daughter. Dickens. To lead astray, to guide in a wrong way, or into error; to seduce from truth or rectitude. — To lead captive, to carry into captivity. — To lead the way, to show the way; to act as guide.

Lēad, v. i.

verbintransitive

To go before and show the way. “I will lead on softly.” Gen. xxxiii. 14.
To conduct, as a chief or commander; as, let the troops follow where their general leads.
To put forth, or exercise, a tendency or influence; as, gaming leads to other vices.
To exercise dominion. [Obs.] Spenser.

To lead off or out, to go first; to begin.

Lēad, n.

noun

n. 1. Precedence; a going before; guidance. At the time I speak of, and having a momentary lead, . . . I am sure I did my country important service. Burke.

Sense 2. A navigable opening or lane in an ice-field. “Under the lee of an iceberg in a comparatively open lead.” Kane.

Sense 3. (Mining.) A lode. See LODE.

Sense 4. (Steam-eng.) The width of opening of a steam-port for the admission or release of steam at the beginning of the stroke of the engine.

☞ When used alone, it means outside-lead, or lead on the steam side. Inside-lead means lead on the exhaust side.

Lēad'y, a.

adjective

a. Of the color of lead. Sir T. Elyot.