Lead
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: Foremost.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: 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, Atomic weight 206.4, Specific Gravity 11.37, Symbol Pb (from Latin plumbum). A plummet or mass of lead attached to a line, used in sounding depth at sea or to estimate velocity in knots. A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing. Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading. Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs. A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates. A thin cylinder of black lead or plumbago (graphite) used in pencils. bullets The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction; as, to take the lead; to be under the lead of another. Precedence; advance position; also, the measure of precedence; as, the white horse had the lead; a lead of a boat's length, or of half a second; the state of being ahead in a race; the highest score in a game in an incomplete game. When a runner steps away from a base while waiting for the pitch to be thrown (cards and dominoes) The act or right of playing first in a game or round; the card suit, or piece, so played; as, your partner has the lead. A channel of open water in an ice field. A lode. The course of a rope from end to end. A rope, leather strap, or similar device with which to lead an animal; a leash In a steam engine, The width of port opening which is uncovered by the valve, for the admission or release of steam, at the instant when the piston is at end of its stroke. charging lead The distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment. The action of a tooth, as a tooth of a wheel, in impelling another tooth or a pallet. — Claudias Saunier Hypothesis that has not been pursued Information obtained by a detective or police officer that allows him or her to discover further details about a crime or incident. Potential opportunity for a sale or transaction, a potential customer. Information obtained by a news reporter about an issue or subject that allows him or her to discover more details. The player who throws the first two rocks for a team. A teaser; a lead in; the start of a newspaper column, telling who, what, when, where, why and how. (Sometimes spelled as lede for this usage to avoid ambiguity.) The axial distance a screw thread travels in one revolution. It is equal to the pitch times the number of starts.
Part of speech: verb
Definition: To cover, fill, or affect with lead; as, continuous firing leads the grooves of a rifle. To place leads between the lines of; as, to lead a page; leaded matter. 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. To guide or conduct in a certain course, or to a certain place or end, by making the way known; to show the way, especially by going with or going in advance of, to lead a pupil; to guide somebody somewhere or to bring somebody somewhere by means of instructions. Hence, figuratively: To direct; to counsel; to instruct; as, to lead a traveler. 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; to command, especially a military or business unit 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. 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. To guide or conduct oneself 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). To begin a game, round, or trick, with; as, to lead trumps 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. To be ahead of others, e.g., in a race To have the highest interim score in a game To be more advanced in technology or business than others To tend or reach in a certain direction, or to a certain place; as, the path leads to the mill; gambling leads to other vices. To lead off or out, to go first; to begin. To produce. To step off base and move towards the next base. To aim in front of a moving target, in order that the shot may hit the target as it passes.
Example sentence: There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.
Principal
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: Primary; most important in a group.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: The money originally invested or loaned, on which basis interest and returns are calculatedThe principal administrator of a schoolOne who directs another (the agent) to act on one's behalfA company represented by a sales person
Example sentence: Inability to make decisions is one of the principal reasons executives fail. Deficiency in decision-making ranks much higher than lack of specific knowledge or technical know-how as an indicator of leadership failure.