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Webster 1913 Edition

Leading

Lead′ing

,
Adj.
Guiding; directing; controlling; foremost;
as, a
leading
motive; a
leading
man; a
leading
example.
–
Lead′ing-ly
,
adv.
Leading case
(Law)
,
a reported decision which has come to be regarded as settling the law of the question involved.
Abbott.
–
Leading motive
[a translation of G.
leitmotif
]
(Mus.)
,
a guiding theme; in the musical drama of Wagner, a marked melodic phrase or short passage which always accompanies the reappearance of a certain person, situation, abstract idea, or allusion in the course of the play; a sort of musical label. Also called
leitmotif
or
leitmotiv
.
–
Leading note
(Mus.)
,
the seventh note or tone in the ascending major scale; the sensible note.
–
Leading question
,
a question so framed as to guide the person questioned in making his reply.
–
Leading strings
,
strings by which children are supported when beginning to walk.
–
To be in leading strings
,
to be in a state of infancy or dependence, or under the guidance of others.
–
Leading wheel
,
a wheel situated before the driving wheels of a locomotive engine.

Lead′ing

,
Noun.
1.
The act of guiding, directing, governing, or enticing; guidance.
Shak.
2.
Suggestion; hint; example.
[Archaic]
Bacon.

Webster 1828 Edition

Leading

LE'ADING

, ppr.
1.
Guiding; conducting; preceding; drawing; alluring; passing life.
2.
a. Chief; principal; capital; most influential; as a leading motive; a leading man in a party.
3.
showing the way by going first.
He left his mother a countess by patent, which was a new leading example.

LE'ADING

,
Noun.
Guidance; the act of conducting; direction.

Definition 2024

leading

leading

English

Pronunciation

  • Hyphenation: lead‧ing
  • Rhymes: -iːdɪŋ
  • Rhymes: -ɛdɪŋ

Adjective

leading ‎(comparative more leading, superlative most leading)

  1. Providing guidance or direction.
    Avoiding leading questions if you really want the truth.
  2. Ranking first.
    He is a leading supplier of plumbing supplies in the county.
  3. Occurring in advance; preceding.
    The stock market can be a leading economic indicator.
Coordinate terms

Hyponyms

  • industry-leading

Antonyms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

leading ‎(plural leadings)

  1. An act by which one is led or guided
    • 1792, William Carey, An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the:
      It has been said that we ought not to force our way, but to wait for the openings, and leadings of Providence; but it might with equal propriety be answered in this case, neither ought we to neglect embracing those openings in providence which daily present themselves to us.
    • 1855, Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass:
      […] I do not say leadings you thought great are not great, But I say that none lead to greater than these lead to.
    • 1904, Edward Dowden, Robert Browning:
      In his poetic method each writer followed the leadings of his own genius, without reference to common rules and standards; the individualism of the Revolutionary epoch asserted itself to the full.

Verb

leading

  1. present participle of lead
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 2, in The Celebrity:
      I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town.

Etymology 2

From lead (chemical element).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈlɛdɪŋ/
  • Hyphenation: lead‧ing

Noun

leading ‎(uncountable)

  1. (typography) Vertical space added between lines; line spacing
Translations

References

Anagrams

Etymology

From Old English lǣdan, probably a causative form of liþan ‎(“travel”).

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