ˈli:də n. 1 a a
person or
thing that leads. b a person followed by others. 2 a
the principal player in a
music group or of the
first violins in an
orchestra. b US a
conductor of an orchestra. 3
Brit. = leading
article. 4 a
short strip of non-functioning
material at
each end of a
reel of
film or
recording tape for connection to the
spool. 5 (in full Leader of the House) Brit. a
member of the
government officially
responsible for initiating
business in
Parliament. 6 a
shoot of a
plant at the
apex of a stem or of the main
branch. 7 (in pl.)
Printing a
series of dots or dashes
across the page to
guide the
eye,
esp. in tabulated material. 8 the
horse placed at the
front in a
team or
pair. øøleaderless adj. leadership n. [OE lódere (as LEAD(1))]