different between ahead vs leading

English

Etymology

a- +? head

(nautical) Beyond the head (of a ship). This may have drifted into more general English usage where it is used to describe something as being 'in front of'.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??h?d/
• Rhymes: -?d
• Hyphenation: ahead

Adverb

ahead (not comparable)

1. In or to the front; in advance; onward.

2. In the direction one is facing or moving.

3. In or for the future.

4. At an earlier time.

5. Having progressed more.

Antonyms

• (nautical) astern
• behind

Hyponyms

• straight ahead

Derived terms

• ahead of time
• go-ahead

Related terms

• ahead of

Translations

Anagrams

• aahed

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English ledinge, ledynge, ledand, ledande, ledende, from Old English l?dende, from Proto-Germanic *laidijandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *laidijan? (“to lead”), equivalent to lead +? -ing. Cognate with German Leitung (“lin, conduit, cable”). More at lead.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?li?d??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?lid??/
• Rhymes: -i?d??
• Hyphenation: lead?ing

Verb

leading

1. present participle of lead

Adjective

leading (not comparable)

1. Providing guidance or direction.

2. Ranking first.

3. Occurring in advance; preceding.

   Antonyms: following, lagging, trailing

Coordinate terms

• (occurring in advance): concurrent, lagging

Hyponyms

• industry-leading

Derived terms

• leading indicator

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English leding, ledyng, ledinge, ledunge, equivalent to lead +? -ing.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?li?d??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?lid??/
• Rhymes: -i?d??
• Hyphenation: lead?ing

Noun

leading (plural leadings)

1. An act by which one is led or guided.

Etymology 3

From Middle English leedynge, equivalent to lead (chemical element) +? -ing.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /?l?d??/
• Rhymes: -?d??
• Hyphenation: lead?ing

Noun

leading (uncountable)

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

Translations

Further reading

• leading on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Negidal, adeling, aligned, dealign, dealing, diangle, lagenid, leidang