Guide vs. Lead — What's the Difference?

To steer or control a particular course.

To go or be in advance of others.

To supervise, influence, or direct a particular outcome.

A position of command or guidance.

A guide is a person who leads travelers, sportsmen, or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations. The term can also be applied to a person who leads others to more abstract goals such as knowledge or wisdom.

Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin plumbum) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials.

One who shows the way by leading, directing, or advising.

Cause (a person or animal) to go with one by holding them by the hand, a halter, a rope, etc. while moving forward

One who serves as a model for others, as in a course of conduct.

Be a route or means of access to a particular place or in a particular direction

A person employed to conduct others, as through a museum, and give information about points of interest encountered.

Be in charge or command of

Something, such as a pamphlet, that offers basic information or instruction

Have the advantage over competitors in a race or game

A guidebook.

Have or experience (a particular way of life)

Something that serves to direct or indicate.

The initiative in an action; an example for others to follow

A device, such as a ruler, tab, or bar, that serves as an indicator or acts to regulate a motion or operation.

A position of advantage in a contest; first place

A soldier stationed at the right or left of a column of marchers to control alignment, show direction, or mark the point of pivot.

The chief part in a play or film

To serve as a guide for; conduct.

A strap or cord for restraining and guiding a dog or other domestic animal

To direct the course of; steer

A wire that conveys electric current from a source to an appliance, or that connects two points of a circuit together.

To exert control or influence over; direct

The distance advanced by a screw in one turn.

To supervise the training or education of.

An artificial watercourse leading to a mill.

To serve as a guide.

A soft, heavy, ductile bluish-grey metal, the chemical element of atomic number 82. It has been used in roofing, plumbing, ammunition, storage batteries, radiation shields, etc., and its compounds have been used in crystal glass, as an anti-knock agent in petrol, and (formerly) in paints.

Someone who guides, especially someone hired to show people around a place or an institution and offer information and explanation, or to lead them through dangerous terrain.

An item or implement made of lead.

A document or book that offers information or instruction; guidebook.

Graphite used as the part of a pencil that makes a mark

A sign that guides people; guidepost.

A blank space between lines of print.

Any marking or object that catches the eye to provide quick reference.

To show the way to by going in advance

A device that guides part of a machine, or guides motion or action.

To guide or direct in a course

A blade or channel for directing the flow of water to the buckets in a water wheel.

To serve as a route for; take

A grooved director for a probe or knife in surgery.

To be a channel or conduit for (water or electricity, for example).

A strip or device to direct the compositor's eye to the line of copy being set.

To guide the behavior or opinion of; induce

(occult) A spirit believed to speak through a medium.

To direct the performance or activities of

(military) A member of a group marching in formation who sets the pattern of movement or alignment for the rest.

To inspire the conduct of

To serve as a guide for someone or something; to lead or direct in a way; to conduct in a course or path.

To play a principal or guiding role in

To steer or navigate, especially a ship or as a pilot.

To go or be at the head of

To exert control or influence over someone or something.

To be ahead of

To supervise the education or training of someone.

To be foremost in or among

(intransitive) to act as a guide.

To pass or go through; live

To lead or direct in a way; to conduct in a course or path; to pilot; as, to guide a traveler.

To begin or open with, as in games

To regulate and manage; to direct; to order; to superintend the training or education of; to instruct and influence intellectually or morally; to train.

To guide (a partner) in dancing.

A person who leads or directs another in his way or course, as in a strange land; one who exhibits points of interest to strangers; a conductor; also, that which guides; a guidebook.

To aim in front of (a moving target).

One who, or that which, directs another in his conduct or course of life; a director; a regulator.

(Sports) To pass a ball or puck ahead of (a moving teammate) so that the player can receive the pass without changing direction or losing speed.

Any contrivance, especially one having a directing edge, surface, or channel, for giving direction to the motion of anything, as water, an instrument, or part of a machine, or for directing the hand or eye, as of an operator

To be first; be ahead.

A noncommissioned officer or soldier placed on the directing flank of each subdivision of a column of troops, or at the end of a line, to mark the pivots, formations, marches, and alignments in tactics.

To go first as a guide.

Someone employed to conduct others

To act as commander, director, or guide.

Someone who shows the way by leading or advising

To afford a passage, course, or route

Something that offers basic information or instruction

To tend toward a certain goal or result

A model or standard for making comparisons

To make the initial play, as in a game or contest.

Someone who can find paths through unexplored territory

To begin a presentation or account in a given way

Direct the course; determine the direction of travelling

To guide a dance partner.

Take somebody somewhere;

To start a dance step on a specified foot.

Be a guiding force, as with directions or advice;

(Baseball) To advance or stand a few paces away from one's base toward the next while the pitcher prepares to deliver a pitch. Used of a base runner.

Use as a guide;

(Sports) To begin an attack in boxing with a specified hand or punch

Guide or pass over something;

To cover, line, weight, or fill with lead.

A person who advises or shows the way to others.

(Printing) To provide space between (lines of type) with leads.

Directions or principles offering advice.

To secure (window glass) with leads.

A tool or gauge used in technical work.

To treat with lead or a lead compound

The first or foremost position

One occupying such a position; a leader.

The initiative

The margin by which one holds a position of advantage or superiority

Information pointing toward a possible solution; a clue

An indication of potential opportunity; a tip

Command; leadership

An example; a precedent

The principal role in a film, play, show, or other scripted production.

The person playing such a role.

The introductory portion of a news story, especially the first sentence.

An important, usually prominently displayed news story.

The first play.

The prerogative or turn to make the first play

A card played first in a round.

(Baseball) An amount of space that a base runner moves or stands away from one base in the direction of the next while the pitcher prepares to deliver a pitch.

(Sports) A blow in boxing that begins a series or exchange of punches.

A leash.

A deposit of gold ore in an old riverbed.

See lode.

(Electronics) A conductor by which one circuit element is electrically connected to another.

(Nautical) The direction in which a line runs.

The distance aimed in front of a moving target.

A channel of open water created by a break in a mass of ice.

Symbol Pb A soft, malleable, ductile, bluish-white, dense metallic element, extracted chiefly from galena and used in containers and pipes for corrosives, solder and type metal, bullets, radiation shielding, paints, glass, storage batteries, and antiknock compounds. Atomic number 82; atomic weight 207.2; melting point 327.5°C; boiling point 1,749°C; specific gravity 11.35; valence 2, 4. See Periodic Table.

Any of various, often graphitic compositions used as the writing substance in pencils.

A thin stick of such material.

Bullets from or for firearms; shot

A lead weight suspended by a line, used to make soundings.

(Printing) A thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type.

Strips of lead used to hold the panes of a window.

Chiefly British A flat roof covered with sheets of lead.

First or foremost

Most important

(uncountable) A heavy, pliable, inelastic metal element, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished; both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity. It is easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of solder and type metal. Atomic number 82, symbol Pb (from Latin plumbum).

A plummet or mass of lead attached to a line, used in sounding depth at sea or (dated) to estimate velocity in knots.

A thin strip of type metal, used to separate lines of type in printing.

Vertical space in advance of a row or between rows of text. Also known as leading.

Sheets or plates of lead used as a covering for roofs.

(plural leads) A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.

(countable) A thin cylinder of graphite used in pencils. Category:en:Carbon

(slang) bullets; ammunition.

(countable) The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction, course

(countable) Precedence; advance position; also, the measure of precedence; the state of being ahead in a race; the highest score in a game in an incomplete game.

An insulated metallic wire for electrical devices and equipment.

(baseball) The situation where a runner steps away from a base while waiting for the pitch to be thrown.

The act or right of playing first in a game or round; the card suit, or piece, so played

The main role in a play or film; the lead role.

(acting) The actor who plays the main role; lead actor.

(business) The person in charge of a project or a work shift etc.

(countable) A channel of open water in an ice field.

A lode.

(nautical) The course of a rope from end to end.

A rope, leather strap, or similar device with which to lead an animal; a leash

In a steam engine, the width of port opening which is uncovered by the valve, for the admission or release of steam, at the instant when the piston is at end of its stroke.

(civil engineering) The distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment.

(horology) The action of a tooth, such as a tooth of a wheel, in impelling another tooth or a pallet.

Hypothesis that has not been pursued

Information obtained by a detective or police officer that allows him or her to discover further details about a crime or incident.

(marketing) Potential opportunity for a sale or transaction, a potential customer.

Information obtained by a news reporter about an issue or subject that allows him or her to discover more details.

(curling) The player who throws the first two rocks for a team.

(newspapers) A teaser; a lead-in; the start of a newspaper column, telling who, what, when, where, why and how. (Sometimes spelled as lede for this usage to avoid ambiguity.)

An important news story that appears on the front page of a newspaper or at the beginning of a news broadcast

(engineering) The axial distance a screw thread travels in one revolution. It is equal to the pitch times the number of starts.

(music) In a barbershop quartet, the person who sings the melody, usually the second tenor

(music) The announcement by one voice part of a theme to be repeated by the other parts.

(music) A mark or a short passage in one voice part, as of a canon, serving as a cue for the entrance of others.

(engineering) The excess above a right angle in the angle between two consecutive cranks, as of a compound engine, on the same shaft.

(electrical) The angle between the line joining the brushes of a continuous-current dynamo and the diameter symmetrical between the poles.

(electrical) The advance of the current phase in an alternating circuit beyond that of the electromotive force producing it.

(transitive) To cover, fill, or affect with lead.

To place leads between the lines of.

To guide or conduct.

To guide or conduct with the hand, or by means of some physical contact connection.

To guide or conduct in a certain course, or to a certain place or end, by making the way known; to show the way, especially by going with or going in advance of, to lead a pupil; to guide somebody somewhere or to bring somebody somewhere by means of instructions.

(figuratively): To direct; to counsel; to instruct

To conduct or direct with authority; to have direction or charge of; to command, especially a military or business unit.

To guide or conduct oneself in, through, or along (a certain course); hence, to proceed in the way of; to follow the path or course of; to pass; to spend. Also, to cause (one) to proceed or follow in (a certain course).

(intransitive) To guide or conduct, as by accompanying, going before, showing, influencing, directing with authority, etc.; to have precedence or preeminence; to be first or chief; — used in most of the senses of the transitive verb.

(heading) To begin, to be ahead.

(transitive) To go or to be in advance of; to precede; hence, to be foremost or chief among.

(intransitive) To lead off or out, to go first; to begin.

(intransitive) To be more advanced in technology or business than others.

(transitive) To draw or direct by influence, whether good or bad; to prevail on; to induce; to entice; to allure

(intransitive) To tend or reach in a certain direction, or to a certain place.

To produce (with to).

(transitive) To live or experience (a particular way of life).

(not comparable) Foremost.

Main, principal, primary, first, chief, foremost.

One of the elements, a heavy, pliable, inelastic metal, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished. It is both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity, and is used for tubes, sheets, bullets, etc. Its specific gravity is 11.37. It is easily fusible (melting point 327.5° C), forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of solder and type metal. Atomic number 82. Atomic weight, 207.2. Symbol Pb (L. Plumbum). It is chiefly obtained from the mineral galena, lead sulphide.

An article made of lead or an alloy of lead

A small cylinder of black lead or graphite, used in pencils.

The act of leading or conducting; guidance; direction; as, to take the lead; to be under the lead of another.

Precedence; advance position; also, the measure of precedence; as, the white horse had the lead; a lead of a boat's length, or of half a second.

The act or right of playing first in a game or round; the card suit, or piece, so played; as, your partner has the lead.

An open way in an ice field.

A lode.

The course of a rope from end to end.

The width of port opening which is uncovered by the valve, for the admission or release of steam, at the instant when the piston is at end of its stroke.

The distance of haul, as from a cutting to an embankment.

The action of a tooth, as a tooth of a wheel, in impelling another tooth or a pallet.

The announcement by one voice part of a theme to be repeated by the other parts.

In an internal-combustion engine, the distance, measured in actual length of piston stroke or the corresponding angular displacement of the crank, of the piston from the end of the compression stroke when ignition takes place; - called in full lead of the ignition. When ignition takes place during the working stroke the corresponding distance from the commencement of the stroke is called negative lead.

The excess above a right angle in the angle between two consecutive cranks, as of a compound engine, on the same shaft.

In spiral screw threads, worm wheels, or the like, the amount of advance of any point in the spiral for a complete turn.

The angle between the line joining the brushes of a continuous-current dynamo and the diameter symmetrical between the poles.

A role for a leading man or leading woman; also, one who plays such a role.

The first story in a newspaper or broadcast news program.

An electrical conductor, typically as an insulated wire or cable, connecting an electrical device to another device or to a power source, such as a conductor conveying electricity from a dynamo.

The distance a runner on base advances from one base toward the next before the pitch; as, the long lead he usually takes tends to distract the pitchers.

To cover, fill, or affect with lead; as, continuous firing leads the grooves of a rifle.

To place leads between the lines of; as, to lead a page; leaded matter.

To guide or conduct with the hand, or by means of some physical contact or connection; as, a father leads a child; a jockey leads a horse with a halter; a dog leads a blind man.

To guide or conduct in a certain course, or to a certain place or end, by making the way known; to show the way, esp. by going with or going in advance of.

To conduct or direct with authority; to have direction or charge of; as, to lead an army, an exploring party, or a search; to lead a political party.

To go or to be in advance of; to precede; hence, to be foremost or chief among; as, the big sloop led the fleet of yachts; the Guards led the attack; Demosthenes leads the orators of all ages.

To draw or direct by influence, whether good or bad; to prevail on; to induce; to entice; to allure; as, to lead one to espouse a righteous cause.

To guide or conduct one's self in, through, or along (a certain course); hence, to proceed in the way of; to follow the path or course of; to pass; to spend. Also, to cause (one) to proceed or follow in (a certain course).

To begin a game, round, or trick, with; as, to lead trumps; the double five was led.

To tend or reach in a certain direction, or to a certain place; as, the path leads to the mill; gambling leads to other vices.

A soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull gray;

An advantage held by a competitor in a race;

Evidence pointing to a possible solution;

A position of leadership (especially in the phrase `take the lead');

The angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)

The introductory section of a story;

An actor who plays a principal role

(baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base;

An indication of potential opportunity;

A news story of major importance

The timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine

Restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal

Thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing

Mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil

A jumper that consists of a short piece of wire;

The playing of a card to start a trick in bridge;

Take somebody somewhere;

Result in;

Tend to or result in;

Travel in front of; go in advance of others;

Cause to undertake a certain action;

Stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point;

Be in charge of;

Be ahead of others; be the first;

Be conducive to;

Lead, as in the performance of a composition;

Pass or spend;

Lead, extend, or afford access;

Move ahead (of others) in time or space

Cause something to pass or lead somewhere;

Preside over;

The initiative or advantage in an action or undertaking.

A substance (Pb) that is a bluish-white metal, heavy and toxic.

An indication or clue in solving a problem.

Yes, "lead" can also refer to the metal (Pb) or an advantage in a competition.

Yes, "guide" can refer to a person offering direction (noun) or the act of directing (verb).

A guide offers direction based on knowledge or experience, while a leader often commands or sets an example for others to follow.

To guide means to direct, advise, or show someone a course of action or path.

Yes, one can offer advice or direction without necessarily being at the forefront or in a commanding role.

Not necessarily. Guiding can be reactive, offering advice or direction based on the situation or questions posed.

While typically active, in some contexts "lead" can be passive, as in "being led by circumstances."

Typically, to lead means to be at the forefront, but contextually it can also mean guiding from any position.

Yes, someone can both guide with advice and lead by example or command.

In such contexts, a "lead" refers to a clue or indication that helps progress the investigation.

"Guide" is often used when the emphasis is on advisory assistance, while "lead" implies a stronger, directive role.

In tools, a "guide" can be a device that helps ensure accurate measurements or actions, like a ruler guide.

Often it is, but "lead" can also refer to taking charge, guiding, or having an advantage, not necessarily being first.

In sports, "lead" can refer to the team or individual in front or with the advantage in a competition.

Yes, objects like signs can guide, and a leash can lead an animal, depending on context.