lead-off
adjective
leading off or beginning.
lead-off
American
[leed-awf, -of]
/ ˈlidˌɔf, -ˌɒf /
adjective
lead off
British
/ liːd /
verb
noun
-
an initial move or action
-
a person or thing that begins something
lead off
Idioms
Etymology
Origin of lead-off
First recorded in 1885–90; adj. use of verb phrase lead off
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:
It was the lead-off single to “Parade,” the full soundtrack album to Prince’s 1986 vanity lap “Under the Cherry Moon,” in which he directed and starred, and premiered months after “Kiss” became a hit.
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2026
The 19-year-old Pan swam the fastest 100 in history with a time of 46.80 seconds in the lead-off leg of China’s gold medal-winning 4×100 relay team.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 15, 2024
After Rengifo drew a lead-off walk, Randal Grichuk grounded out, Ohtani struck out and Drury grounded out to send the game into the 10th.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2023
Lowe’s two-run homer to left followed Corey Seager’s lead-off walk.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 19, 2023
Every one knew it was borrowed, for he had asked about twenty of his friends during the last week whether that wouldn’t be “a showy lead-off for his cricket feast jaw?”
From The Fifth Form at Saint Dominic's A School Story by Talbot Baines Reed
Correspondent Jon Wertheim will lead off the 59th season with an in-depth look at the Los Angeles Rams, the favorite of oddsmakers to win the Super Bowl this season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
That streak ended with a double up the left-field line from Eduardo Valencia, who turned on an inside slider to lead off the fifth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
If Norris can keep the lead off the line to the end of the first lap, he has a chance.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
"We've always stressed to any dog owners that dogs need to be kept on the lead, off the furniture. People are very aware of other people who don't like to be around dogs."
From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2026
Luis takes his walking lead off second and stares at the pitcher’s hand.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
