lead

/liːd/ /led/ verb (led, led)

Definition

› [T] to be in charge of a group of people, an organization, or a situation: They led a management buy-out of the business, raising €10m in capital. She has been promoted to lead a team that focuses on product development. He leads the company's worldwide marketing and sales division.

› [I or T] to be in front, be first, or be winning in a particular situation or area of business: German, Swiss, and Scandinavian banks lead the internet-based financial services market in Europe.

› [T] to happen before something else happens: The company has improved operating performance, led by cost reduction efforts and productivity gains.

› to influence someone to do sth: lead sb/sth to do sth Sharply lower profit has led the company to begin an aggressive cost-cutting plan.

lead from the front › to be actively involved in what you are encouraging others to do: The chairman needs to lead from the front and try to resolve the conflicts.

lead the field/pack/world › to be better or more successful than other people or things: For ISAs, building societies again led the pack, with 16 of the 20 top-paying providers.

lead the way › to make more progress than other people in the development of something: lead the way in/on sth The nation's largest state has led the way in higher education and energy conservation. Experts said women tend to lead the way on issues related to health.

(Definition of lead verb from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)