n.
Pronunciation: ' led
Function: noun
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: Middle English leed, from Old English l ē ad; akin to Middle High German l ō t lead
Date: before 12th century
1 : a bluish-white soft malleable ductile plastic but inelastic heavy metallic element found mostly in combination and used especially in pipes, cable sheaths, batteries, solder, and shields against radioactivity ― see ELEMENT table
2 a : a plummet for sounding at sea b plural British : a usually flat lead roof c plural : lead framing for panes in windows d : a thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing
3 a : a thin stick of marking substance (as graphite) in or for a pencil b : WHITE LEAD
4 : BULLETS , PROJECTILES
5 : TETRAETHYL LEAD
– lead · less \ -l ə s \ adjective