lead the way Definition

lead¹
verb led, leading

tr & intr
1. To guide by going in front.

Thesaurus: guide, conduct, escort, usher, pilot, steer.
2. To precede.
3. To guide or make someone or something go in a certain direction by holding or pulling with the hand, etc.
4. To guide.
5. To conduct.
6. To induce.

Thesaurus: influence, induce, prompt, sway, incline, cause.
7. To cause to live or experience.
tr & intr
8. To direct or be in control (of something).

Thesaurus: direct, govern, command, preside over, supervise, manage, chair, run.
9. To make someone act, feel or think in a certain way.
10. To live, pass or experience.

Example: lead a miserable existence
tr & intr
11. To go or take someone in a certain direction.

Example: The road leads to the village
tr & intr
12. To be foremost or first; to be the most important or influential in (a group) in a particular field.

Example: They lead the world in engineering
Thesaurus: exceed, excel, surpass, outperform; Antonym: lag.
intr
14. Said of a newspaper: to have (a particular story) as its most important article.

Example: The tabloids all lead with the latest atrocity
Form: lead with (usually)
Form: lead on
(Brit)
15. To be the leader of (an orchestra).
16. To conduct liquid along a channel or course.
tr & intr
17. cards.
To begin a round of cards by playing (the first card, especially of a particular suit).
18. Scots law.
To adduce.
19. To cart crops to the farmyard.

Form: lead in (often)

noun

1. An instance of guidance given by leading.
2. The first, leading, or most prominent place; leadership.
3. The amount by which someone or something, etc is in front of others in a race, contest, etc.

Example: had a lead of about a metre
4. A strap or chain for leading or holding a dog, etc.
5. An initial clue or piece of information which might help solve a problem, mystery, etc.

Thesaurus: clue, hint.
6. The principal part in a play, film, etc; the actor playing this role.
7. The most important story in a newspaper.
8. A precedent or example.
9. Precedence.
10. An indication.
11. Direction.
12. Initiative.
13. A wire or conductor taking electricity from a source to an appliance.
14. cards.
The act or right of playing first, the first card played or the play of someone who plays first.
15. The first player in some team sports and games.
16. A watercourse leading to a mill.
17. A channel through ice.
18. A main conductor in electrical distribution.

Idiom: lead someone astray

To entice them into a wrong or misguided course.

Idiom: lead someone by the nose

To force them to follow.

Idiom: lead someone a (merry) dance

See under dance.

Idiom: lead someone up the garden path

See under garden.

Idiom: lead the life of Riley

To have an easy life.

Idiom: lead the way

To go first, especially to guide others.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon lædan.

Phrasal Verb: lead off

To begin.

Phrasal Verb: lead someone on

To persuade them to go further than intended.To deceive or mislead them.

Phrasal Verb: lead someone or something out

To bring them or it out by preceding.
Example: led the team out to tremendous applause

Phrasal Verb: lead to something

To result in it.

Phrasal Verb: lead up to something

To approach (a topic of conversation) reluctantly or by gradual steps or stages.
Example: leading up to the question of money
To be an underlying cause of it.
Example: Persistent lateness lead up to his dismissal

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way
noun ways

1a. A route, entrance or exit, etc that provides passage or access somewhere;

Thesaurus: road, trail, walk, highway (US), byway.
1b. The passage or access provided.
2. The route, road or direction taken for a particular journey.
3. A track or road.
4. Used in street names.

Form: Way
5. A direction of motion.

Example: a one-way street
Example: a two-way radio
6. An established position.

Example: the wrong way up
Example: the other way round
7. A distance in space or time.

Example: a little way ahead
8. One's district.

Example: if you're round our way
9. The route or path ahead; room to move or progress.
10. A means or method of doing something.

Thesaurus: means, method, mode, plan, technique, design, system, procedure, process, contrivance, step, idea, policy.
11. A distinctive manner or style.
12. Customs or rituals.

Form: ways
13. A characteristic piece of behaviour.
14. A habit or routine.
15. A typical pattern or course.

Example: It's always the way
16. A mental approach.

Example: different ways of looking at it
17. A respect.

Example: correct in some ways
18. An alternative course, possibility or choice, etc.
19. A state or condition.
20. Scale.
21. Progress; forward motion.

Example: made their way through the crowds
22. naut.
Headway; progress or motion through the water.
Example: made little way that day
23. engineering.
The machined surfaces of the top of a lathe bed on which the carriage slides.
Form: ways
24. engineering.
The framework of timbers on which a ship slides when being launched.

adverb

1. colloq
Far; a long way.
Example: met way back in the 60s

Idiom: across the way (over the way)

On or to the other side of something, eg a street.
Example: I just live across the way

Idiom: be on (get on one's way)

To make a start on a journey.

Idiom: by the way

Incidentally; let me mention while I remember.

Idiom: by way of ...

As a form or means of ....
Example: He grinned by way of apology

Idiom: by way of somewhere

By the route that passes through it.

Idiom: come someone's way

Said of an opportunity, etc: to become available to them, especially unexpectedly.

Idiom: divide something three ways (divide something four etc ways)

To divide it into three or four, etc parts.

Idiom: get one's own way (have one's own way)

To do, get or have what one wants, often as opposed to what others want.

Idiom: give way

To collapse or subside.

To fail or break down under pressure, etc.

To yield to persuasion or pressure.

Idiom: go all the way with someone (go the whole way with someone)

slang
To have sexual intercourse with them.

Idiom: go one's own way

To do or behave as one likes, especially in a manner different from others.

Idiom: go out of one's way

To make special efforts; to do more than is needed.

Idiom: go someone's way

Said eg of circumstances: to favour them.

Idiom: have a way with someone or something

To be good at dealing with them.

Idiom: have a way with one

colloq
To have an attractive manner.

Idiom: have it both ways

To benefit from two actions, situations or arguments, etc, each of which excludes the possibility or validity, etc of the others.

Idiom: have it one's way (have everything one's way, have everything one's own way)

To get one's way in something or everything, especially with disregard for the advice or opinions of others.

Idiom: in a bad way

colloq
In a poor or serious condition; unhealthy.

Idiom: in a big way

colloq
With enthusiasm; on a large or grandiose scale.

Idiom: in a way

From a certain viewpoint; to some extent.

Idiom: in its etc own way

As far as it etc goes; within limits.

Idiom: in no way

Not at all.

Idiom: in the way of something

In the nature of it.
Example: not much in the way of cash

Idiom: lead the way (show the way)

To act as a guide or inspiration to others.

Idiom: learn one's way around

To accustom oneself to one's new environment or duties, etc.

Idiom: look the other way

To ignore or pretend not to notice something.

Idiom: lose the way (lose one's way)

To leave one's intended or known route by mistake.

Idiom: make one's way

To go purposefully.

To progress or prosper.
Example: making her way in life

Idiom: make way for someone or something

To stand aside, or make room, for them or it.

To be replaced by them or it.

Idiom: no two ways about it

That's certain; no doubt about it.

Idiom: no way

slang
Absolutely not.

Idiom: on the way out

Becoming unfashionable.

Idiom: on the way to ...

Progressing towards ....
Example: well on the way to becoming a millionaire

Idiom: one way and another

Considering certain aspects or features, etc of something.
Example: It's been a good year, one way and another

Idiom: out of the way

Situated so as not to hinder or obstruct anyone.

Remote; in the middle of nowhere.

Idiom: pay one's way

To pay one's own debts and living expenses.

Idiom: put someone out of the way

To kill them.

Idiom: put someone in the way of something

To contrive to make it available to them.

Idiom: see one's way to doing something (see one's way clear to doing something)

To be able and willing to do it.

Idiom: that's the way!

A formula of encouragement or approval.

Idiom: the way (this way, that way)

The manner or tendency of a person's feelings or wishes, etc.
Example: Do you really want it this way?
Example: I didn't know you felt that way

Idiom: under way

In motion; progressing.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon weg.