n. 25B6; verb
Michelle led them into the house : GUIDE, conduct, show (the way), lead the way, usher, escort, steer, pilot, shepherd; accompany, see, take.
he led us to believe they were lying : CAUSE, induce, prompt, move, persuade, influence, drive, condition, make; incline, dispose, predispose.
this might lead to job losses : RESULT IN, cause, bring on/about, give rise to, be the cause of, make happen, create, produce, occasion, effect, generate, contribute to, promote; provoke, stir up, spark off, arouse, foment, instigate; involve, necessitate, entail; formal effectuate.
he led a march to the city centre : BE AT THE HEAD/FRONT OF, head, spearhead.
she led a coalition of radicals : BE THE LEADER OF, be the head of, preside over, head, command, govern, rule, be in charge of, be in command of, be in control of, run, control, be at the helm of; administer, organize, manage; reign over, be in power over; informal head up.
Rangers were leading at half-time : BE AHEAD, be winning, be (out) in front, be in the lead, be first.
the champion was leading the field : BE AT THE FRONT OF, be first in, be ahead of, head; outrun, outstrip, outpace, leave behind, draw away from; outdo, outclass, beat; informal leave standing.
I just want to lead a normal life : EXPERIENCE, have, live, spend.
follow.
25B6; noun
I was in the lead early on : LEADING POSITION, first place, van, vanguard; ahead, in front, winning.
they took the lead in the personal computer market : FIRST POSITION, forefront, primacy, dominance, superiority, ascendancy; pre-eminence, supremacy, advantage, upper hand, whip hand.
sixth-formers should give a lead to younger pupils : EXAMPLE, (role) model, exemplar, paradigm.
playing the lead : LEADING ROLE, star/starring role, title role, principal part; principal character, male lead, female lead, leading man, leading lady.
a labrador on a lead : LEASH, tether, cord, rope, chain.
detectives were following up a new lead : CLUE, pointer, hint, tip, tip-off, suggestion, indication, sign; ( leads ) evidence, information.
25B6; adjective the lead position : LEADING, first, top, foremost, front, head; chief, principal, premier.
25A0; lead something off BEGIN, start (off), commence, open; informal kick off.
25A0; lead someone on DECEIVE, mislead, delude, hoodwink, dupe, trick, fool, pull the wool over someone's eyes; tease, flirt with; informal string along, lead up the garden path, take for a ride.
25A0; lead the way
he led the way to the kitchen : GUIDE, conduct, show the way.
Britain is leading the way in aerospace technology : TAKE THE INITIATIVE, break (new) ground, blaze a trail, prepare the way.
25A0; lead up to PREPARE THE WAY FOR, pave the way for, lay the groundwork for, set the scene for, work round/up to, approach the subject of.