collocations.org

Collocations for lead - noun

1. example set by sb

ADJECTIVE

moral (esp. BrE)

Back to top ▲

VERB + lead

give, take
The government should give a lead in tackling racism.
follow

Back to top ▲

PREPOSITION

lead in
We should follow their lead in banning chemical weapons.
lead on
corporations that have chosen to take the lead on the privacy issue

Back to top ▲

2. position ahead of other people

ADJECTIVE

big, clear, comfortable, commanding, good, healthy, huge, significant, sizeable, solid, strong, substantial
For the time being, China has a solid lead over India.
narrow, slight, slim, small
two-game, three-length, ten-point, etc.
overall
early

Back to top ▲

VERB + lead

be in, gain, have
She has a narrow lead over the other runners.
go into, move into, take
They took an early lead.
build (esp. AmE), build up, establish
The team has now built up a commanding lead.
hold, keep, maintain, retain
lose
regain, retake
They regained the lead with only a few minutes left to play.
put sb/sth (back) into
That game puts her back into the lead.
extend, increase, open (esp. AmE), open up, widen
Houston increased their lead to 13–7
He had opened up a small lead over his opponent.
give

Back to top ▲

PREPOSITION

in the lead, into the lead
We were struggling to stay in the lead.
lead over
This win gives the team a two-point lead over their closest rival.

Back to top ▲

3. main part in a play, show, etc.

ADJECTIVE

romantic
female, male

Back to top ▲

VERB + lead

play
Her big break came when she was chosen to play the lead in a Broadway musical.
sing
She sings lead on four tracks.

Back to top ▲

lead + NOUN

character, role
actor, actress, dancer, singer, vocalist, vocals
guitar, guitarist

Back to top ▲

4. clue

ADJECTIVE

good, promising, solid
Some promising leads are already emerging.
They have several solid leads in their investigation.
new
possible
The police are following every possible lead.
false
It turned out to be a false lead.

Back to top ▲

VERB + lead

have
find, get
Did you find any leads when you searched it?
At last we got a lead on the McCreary case.
follow, pursue
give

Back to top ▲

PREPOSITION

lead as to
He said that he has a lead as to where Dylan may be.
lead on
leads on the murderer's identity

Back to top ▲

Collocations for lead - verb

Lead is used with these nouns as the subject:
flight, footpath, footprint, general, idea, lane, nerve, passage, path, pipe, road, route, street, track, trail, tunnel, wire

Back to top ▲

Lead is used with these nouns as the object:
army, assault, attack, band, boycott, brigade, campaign, charge, church, class, coalition, congregation, contingent, convoy, country, coup, crew, crusade, delegation, demonstration, development, discussion, division, effort, enquiry, existence, expedition, faction, field, fight, follower, force, group, horse, hunt, initiative, insurrection, investigation, league, life, lifestyle, march, mob, movement, mutiny, nation, negotiation, opposition, orchestra, pack, panel, parade, party, poll, pony, prayer, procession, project, protest, race, rebel, rebellion, regime, research, retreat, revival, revolt, revolution, rising, search, seminar, side, singing, squad, struggle, syndicate, task force, team, tour, tribute, troops, uprising, way, workshop, world, worship

Back to top ▲

Report an error or submit a comment/suggestion on lead