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leading |
6 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Lead \Lead\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Leaded}; p. pr & vb n. {Leading}.] 1. To cover, fill, or affect with lead; as continuous firing leads the grooves of a rifle. 2. (Print.) To place leads between the lines of as to lead a page; leaded matter. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Lead \Lead\ (l[=e]d), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Led} (l[e^]d); p. pr & vb n. {Leading}.] [OE. leden, AS l[=ae]dan (akin to OS l[=e]dian, D. leiden, G. leiten, Icel. le[imac][eth]a, Sw leda, Dan. lede), properly a causative fr AS li[eth]an to go akin to OHG. l[imac]dan, Icel. l[imac][eth]a, Goth. lei[thorn]an (in comp.). Cf {Lode}, {Loath}.] 1. To guide or conduct with the hand, or by means of some physical contact connection; as a father leads a child; a jockey leads a horse with a halter; a dog leads a blind man. If a blind man lead a blind man, both fall down in the ditch. --Wyclif (Matt. xv 14.) They thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill. --Luke iv 29. In thy right hand lead with thee The mountain nymph, sweet Liberty. --Milton. 2. To guide or conduct in a certain course, or to a certain place or end by making the way known to show the way esp. by going with or going in advance of Hence figuratively: To direct; to counsel; to instruct; as to lead a traveler; to lead a pupil. The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way --Ex. xiii. 21. He leadeth me beside the still waters. --Ps. xxiii. 2. This thought might lead me through the world's vain mask. Content, though blind, had I no better guide. --Milton. 3. To conduct or direct with authority; to have direction or charge of as to lead an army, an exploring party, or a search; to lead a political party. Christ took not upon him flesh and blood that he might conquer and rule nations, lead armies, or possess places. --South. 4. To go or to be in advance of to precede; hence to be foremost or chief among; as the big sloop led the fleet of yachts; the Guards led the attack; Demosthenes leads the orators of all ages. As Hesperus, that leads the sun his way --Fairfax. And lo ! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest. --Leigh Hunt. 5. To draw or direct by influence, whether good or bad to prevail on to induce; to entice; to allure; as to lead one to espouse a righteous cause He was driven by the necessities of the times, more than led by his own disposition, to any rigor of actions. --Eikon Basilike Silly women, laden with sins,led away by divers lusts. --2 Tim. iii. 6 (Rev. Ver.). 6. To guide or conduct one's self in through or along (a certain course); hence to proceed in the way of to follow the path or course of to pass; to spend. Also to cause one to proceed or follow in (a certain course). That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. --1 Tim. ii 2. Nor thou with shadowed hint confuse A life that leads melodious days. --Tennyson. You remember . . . the life he used to lead his wife and daughter. --Dickens. 7. (Cards & Dominoes) To begin a game, round, or trick, with as to lead trumps; the double five was led. {To lead astray}, to guide in a wrong way or into error; to seduce from truth or rectitude. {To lead captive}, to carry or bring into captivity. {To lead the way}, to show the way by going in front; to act as guide. --Goldsmith. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Leading \Lead"ing\, a. Guiding; directing; controlling; foremost; as a leading motive; a leading man; a leading example. -- {Lead"ing*ly}, adv {Leading case} (Law), a reported decision which has come to be regarded as settling the law of the question involved. --Abbott. {Leading motive} [a translation of G. leitmotif] (Mus.), a guiding theme; in the modern music drama of Wagner, a marked melodic phrase or short passage which always accompanies the reappearance of a certain person, situation, abstract idea, or allusion in the course of the play; a sort of musical label. {Leading note} (Mus.), the seventh note or tone in the ascending major scale; the sensible note. {Leading question}, a question so framed as to guide the person questioned in making his reply. {Leading strings}, strings by which children are supported when beginning to walk. {To be in leading strings}, to be in a state of infancy or dependence, or under the guidance of others {Leading wheel}, a wheel situated before the driving wheels of a locomotive engine. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Leading \Lead"ing\, n. 1. The act of guiding, directing, governing, or enticing; guidance. --Shak. 2. Suggestion; hint; example. [Archaic] --Bacon. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: leading adj 1: indicating the most important performer or role; "the leading man"; "prima ballerina"; "prima donna"; "a star figure skater"; "the starring role"; "a stellar role"; "a stellar performance" [syn: {leading(p)}, {prima(p)}, {star(p)}, {starring(p)}, {stellar(a)}] 2: greatest in importance or degree or significance or achievement; "our greatest statesmen"; "the country's leading poet"; "a preeminent archeologist" [syn: {greatest}, {leading(a)}, {preeminent}] 3: going or proceeding or going in advance; showing the way "we rode in the leading car"; "the leading edge of technology" [ant: {following}] 4: having the leading position or higher score in a contest; "he is ahead by a pawn"; "the leading team in the pennant race" [syn: {ahead(p)}, {in the lead}] 5: purposefully formulated to elicit a desired response; "a leading question" n 1: a thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing [syn: {lead}] 2: the activity of leading; "his leadership inspired the team" [syn: {leadership}] From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (13 Mar 01) [foldoc]: leading/ledding/ The spacing between lines of {text}. This is defined when a {font} is designed but can often be altered in order to change the appearance of the text or for special effects. It is measured in {points} and is normally 120% of the height of the text. See also {kerning}, {tracking}. (1996-06-07)
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