lead line

American

[led] / lɛd /

noun

Nautical.

a line by which a lead is lowered into the water to take soundings: in deep-sea practice, divided into levels one fathom apart, variously treated as marks and deeps.

lead line British

/ lɛd /

noun

nautical a length of line for swinging a lead, marked at various points to indicate multiples of fathoms

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lead line

First recorded in 1475–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

lead line

The infrastructure and reconciliation bills pending in Congress include billions to address lead line replacement that activists say could make a significant difference.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 4, 2021

Shortly after its release, Marie Villafaña, who had been the lead line attorney, issued a statement calling the result of Epstein’s case “patently unjust.”

From Washington Post ● Nov. 12, 2020

She was tied to a long lead line in the yard while her owners were at work.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2018

Its sponsor Republican Sen. Robert Cowles wants to let utilities finance lead line replacements.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 8, 2017

But in the end they had to rattle up the lead line and pull Carl fully into the folds of his net.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023