Leading

(leed'ing), p. a. 1. Chief; principal; capital; most important or influential; as, a leading motive; a leading man in a party. 2. Showing the way by going first. He left his mother a countess by patent, which was a new leading example. Wotton. Leading note (Mus.), the seventh note or tone in the scale. — Leading question. See QUESTION. — Leading wheels, the small wheels situated before the driving-wheels of a locomotive engine.

(lēd'ing), n. Lead, or sheets or articles of lead collectively.