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Glite Dictionary
to lead the line

to lead the line

6.1
To stand at the front of a group and direct them
  • phrasal verb
  • /liːd ðə laɪn/
translation icon : liderar
  • Prandelli had earlier hinted that the Azzurri would field a 3-5-2 formation with Pablo Osvaldo and Sebastian Giovinco leading the line, and the coach once again stated that both men are ready to be called upon.

This time I'm going to walk it and use tension notes to lead the line.

Examples

  • As the oldest member of the group, she had to lead the line during the performance, guiding everyone to follow her lead.

  • He had led the line to another palm about twenty feet away.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Gracie, lead the line.

    Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! (2012)

  • Jack and Arteta should start in front of the back four, while Cazorla and Podolski make up the midfield, and Giroud leads the line.

    Blog text (30)

  • Sure, Charles Johnson led the line with two sacks, but as a whole they totaled four sacks, 24 tackles, and eight QB hits.

    Blog text (16)

  • Henry led the line of the side defended by the famous back five of Seaman, Dixon, Bould/Keown, Adams, and Winterburn; and then was the fulcrum of the Invincibles in the 2003/04 season, who won the league without losing a game, a first for the Premier League.

    Blog text (6)

  • In the match, I was chosen to lead the line as the team's main striker.

  • During the training session, our coach asked me to lead the line and set an example for the other players.

Synonyms

to lead
vsto lead the line
∞ 1.0

To guide a group or be in charge

is about being at the forefront and principal performer
to head
vsto lead the line
465 2.9

To be in charge of a group or organization

stresses being the foremost performer rather than only administrative control
to take the lead
vsto lead the line
79 3.2

To start guiding a group or activity and make the main decisions

emphasizes being physically at the front and primary performer
to head up
vsto lead the line
59 3.9

To lead a group or team

focuses on being the main performer at the front rather than managing
to front
vsto lead the line
24 4.8

To act as the public leader of a group or activity

is more about being physically at the very forefront and main performer
to play first fiddle
vsto lead the line
  • Informal
1 7.3

To lead a group or activity as the most important person

focuses on acting at the very front and as principal performer
to take the front seat
vsto lead the line
  • Informal
1 4.2

To lead a group or activity and direct what people do

stresses acting as the principal performer at the forefront rather than mere prominence

How Leading

to spearhead
41 5.6
to lead the line
6.1
to lead
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

lead the line infinitive
leading the line present participle
leads the line third person singular
led the line past
led the line past participle

Morphology

lead + the + line

The meaning 'to be at the forefront or head of a group' is directly compositional from 'lead' (to head or direct) plus 'line' (a formation or queue); the article 'the' does not introduce idiomaticity. This is a literal spatial/organizational construction common in English and other languages, so a B1 learner who knows the words would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The phrase lead the line comes from the simple image of one person walking at the very front of a row of people or performers, with lead meaning to go first and the line meaning the row behind them. So, to lead the line today means 'to be at the front of a group' or 'to act as its leader or main performer'.