leading
UK /ˈliːdɪŋ/ · US /ˈlidɪŋ/ adjective, noun
Also a form of lead
Forms leadings
- adjective Providing guidance or direction. “Avoid leading questions if you really want the truth.”
- adjective Ranking first. “He is a leading supplier of plumbing supplies in the county.”
- adjective Occurring in advance; preceding. “The stock market can be a leading economic indicator.”
- noun An act by which one is led or guided.
- noun (archaic) Command of an army or military unit.
- noun (typography) Vertical space added between lines; line spacing.
Synonyms
polar lead leadership prima star starring stellar preeminent ahead in the lead
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English ledinge, ledynge, ledand, ledande, ledende, from Old English lǣdende, from Proto-West Germanic *laidijandī, from Proto-Germanic *laidijandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *laidijaną (“to lead”), equivalent to lead + -ing. Compare West Frisian liedend, Dutch leidend, German leitend, Swedish ledande, Icelandic leiðandi.
From Middle English leding, ledyng, ledinge, ledunge, equivalent to lead + -ing. Cognate with Dutch leiding (“conduit, leading, guidance, leadership”), German Leitung (“line, conduit, cable”).
From Middle English leedynge, equivalent to lead (chemical element) + -ing; so named because in metal typesetting (letterpress and hot metal typesetting), pieces of lead (slugs, strips, blocks, etc) were often the mechanical means of producing the gap.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Guiding; directing; controlling; foremost; as, a leading motive; a leading man; a leading example.
- noun The act of guiding, directing, governing, or enticing; guidance.
- noun Suggestion; hint; example. [Archaic] Bacon.
Etymology [a translation of G. leitmotif]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “leading”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details