Lead (disambiguation)

Contents 1 When pronounced /ˈlɛd/ (rhymes with "bed") 2 When pronounced /ˈliːd/ (rhymes with "need") 2.1 Science and technology 2.2 Performing arts 2.3 Music theory 2.4 Writing and journalism 2.5 Business 2.6 Animals 2.7 Other uses

Lead has two different pronunciations and several different meanings, usually related to either the chemical element lead (a heavy metal) or the verb to lead.

When pronounced /ˈlɛd/ (rhymes with "bed")

With this pronunciation, "lead" refers to:

• Lead, the chemical element
• Pencil lead, which is actually graphite but appears similar to oxidized lead metal
• Sounding line or lead line ("the lead"), to measure water depth, in navigation

The past tense of the verb to lead is led, pronounced /ˈlɛd/. It is often misspelled as lead.

See also:

• Leading in typography

When pronounced /ˈliːd/ (rhymes with "need")

With this pronunciation, "lead" generally means "first", "ahead", or "guide":

Science and technology

• Lead, the amount of distance aimed in front of a moving target, also known as deflection
• Lead compound, a chemical compound in drug discovery (not necessarily with lead the metal)
• Lead (electronics), a metallic wire for electrical devices and equipments
• Waveforms lead, the same as phase shift
• Lead (engineering)
• Lead (geology), a subsurface feature with the potential to have entrapped oil or gas
• Lead (sea ice), a temporary stretch of open water in arctic ice
• Lead-lag compensator, a component in a control system
• Lead (steam engine), a valve timing parameter

Performing arts

• Leading actor/actress
• Lead and follow, the direction or guidance one dance partner communicates to the other

Music theory

• Lead instrument, such as lead guitar
• Lead sheet
• Lead vocalist
• Leading-tone or leading-note
• Voice leading

Writing and journalism

• Lead paragraph, the opening paragraph of an article
• Lead (news) (or lede), the leading news story or leading part of a news story
• News lead, a tip or clue that may lead to the uncovering of newsworthy information

Business

• Pay per lead, a method of marketing
• Sales lead, a potential customer

Animals

• Lead (leash)
• Lead (tack)
• Lead (leg), the leg that advances most in a quadruped's cantering or galloping stride

Other uses

• Lead, the first part of Hangul syllable, the same as syllable onset or "initial"
• Lead off, in baseball, a baserunner's position from the base he occupies
• Lead (band)
• Lead, South Dakota (pronounced [liːd]), a city in the United States
• Honda Lead - scooter

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.