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lead

/ˈlɛd/
nounverbadjective

LEAD meaning: a familiar word for the heavy metal, worth 5 Scrabble points and rearrangeable as DEAL, DALE, or LADE.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 4 meanings

  1. A heavy, pliable, inelastic metal element, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished; both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity. It is easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of solder and type metal. Atomic number 82.

  2. A plummet or mass of lead attached to a line, used in sounding depth at sea or to estimate velocity in knots.

  3. A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.

  4. Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.

    “This copy has too much lead; I prefer less space between the lines.”

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To cover, fill, or affect with lead.

    “continuous firing leads the grooves of a rifle.”

  2. To guide or conduct.

    “a father leads a child”

  3. To guide or conduct, as by accompanying, going before, showing, influencing, directing with authority, etc.; to have precedence or preeminence; to be first or chief; — used in most of the senses of the transitive verb.

  4. To begin, to be ahead.

    “the big sloop led the fleet of yachts; the Guards led the attack; Demosthenes leads the orators of all ages”

Adjective 2 meanings

  1. Foremost.

    “The contestants are all tied; no one has the lead position.”

  2. Main, principal, primary, first, chief, foremost.

    “the lead guitarist in band”

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English led, leed, from Old English lēad (“lead”), from Proto-West Germanic *laud (“lead”), possibly borrowed from Proto-Celtic *ɸloudom, from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow”).

Similar and opposite words

Similar
plumbumleadenplumbicplumbousleadedleadysaturninespearhead

LEAD is a common four-letter word with more than one meaning. It names a heavy, pliable metal; it can also mean a weight attached to a line for measuring depth. In printing, lead refers to the space between lines of type.

LEAD facts at a glance

  • LEAD is a common four-letter word.
  • It scores 5 Scrabble points: L, E and A are worth 1 each; D is worth 2.
  • DEAL, DALE and LADE use the same four letters.
  • READ, HEAD and DEAD are familiar one-letter neighbours.

What does LEAD mean?

The metal sense of LEAD describes a soft, heavy element that can be shaped and used in alloys. The word also names a plummet attached to a line, once used to sound the depth of water. These meanings connect the word to weight and measurement.

In printing, LEAD can mean the vertical space between rows of text, also called leading. That technical sense is easy to miss if you know the word only as a metal. The spelling stays the same, but the surrounding context tells you which meaning fits.

How many points is LEAD worth in Scrabble?

LEAD is worth 5 points before any board bonuses. Three tiles contribute 1 point each, and D contributes 2, so the word has no expensive letter to carry its score. Its value comes from fitting four letters onto the board, not from a single premium tile.

A letter premium changes the total when LEAD covers it; a word premium then multiplies the letter sum. Keep the base value separate from those board effects when comparing plays. LEAD also offers a useful reminder: a familiar word can still be a modest scorer.

LEAD anagrams and one-letter neighbours

The three anagrams are DEAL, DALE and LADE. DEAL and DALE are everyday choices; LADE is less common. When you have the letters A, D, E and L, try those familiar rearrangements before reaching for the rarer option.

There are 21 words one letter away from LEAD. READ, HEAD and DEAD change the first letter, while LOAD changes the third. Several other neighbours are much less familiar, so check your game's word list before relying on an unusual form.

Rhymes with lead

All rhymes

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest

Questions people ask

What words can you make from the letters in LEAD?
The anagrams of LEAD are DEAL, DALE and LADE. DEAL and DALE are familiar words, while LADE is less common. Each uses all four letters once, so they are full anagrams rather than shorter words built from part of the set.
Is LEAD valid in Scrabble?
Yes, LEAD is accepted in Collins, NWL2023 and ENABLE. It scores 5 points from L, E, A and D before board bonuses. The word has several meanings, including the metal and the space between lines of printed text.
What does LEAD mean in printing?
In printing, LEAD means the vertical space between lines of type, also known as leading. It is a technical meaning distinct from the heavy metal. The same spelling can refer to either, so the printing context determines the intended sense.

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