take the lead

/ˌteɪk ðə ˈliːd/

verb

To become the leader, to advance into first place.

“At 0-0, United will take the lead if they score the penalty.”

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Meanings

verbtake the lead (third-person singular simple present takes the lead, present participle taking the lead, simple past took the lead, past participle taken the lead)

present singular third person takes the lead · participle present taking the lead · past took the lead · participle past taken the lead

  1. idiomaticTo become the leader, to advance into first place.

    At 0-0, United will take the lead if they score the penalty.

    1 more example

    It was an omen of things to come as in the 56th minute the visitors took the lead after a mix-up between Skrtel and Sotirios Kyrgiakos allowed Ebanks-Blake's through-ball to squeeze between them.

    2010 December 29, Sam Sheringham, “Liverpool 0 - 1 Wolverhampton”, in BBC
  2. idiomaticTo assume leadership over a group.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 打頭陣 /打头阵
  • 打頭陣 /打头阵 (dǎ tóuzhèn)to advance into first place
Finnish päästä johtoon
  • päästä johtoonto advance into first place
French ouvrir la marche, passer en tête
  • ouvrir la marcheto advance into first place
  • passer en têteto advance into first place
  • prendre le commandementto assume leadership over a group
Hungarian vezet, elöl jár
  • vezetto advance into first place
  • elöl járto assume leadership over a group
  • élen járto assume leadership over a group
Latin praesum, praesum
  • praesumto advance into first place
  • praesumto assume leadership over a group
Polish wychodzić na prowadzenie, wyjść na prowadzenie
  • wychodzić na prowadzenieto advance into first place
  • wyjść na prowadzenieto advance into first place
  • prowadzićto advance into first place
  • przejmować dowodzenieto assume leadership over a group
  • przejąć dowodzenieto assume leadership over a group
Cite this entry
APA

take the lead. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20the%20lead

MLA

“take the lead.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20the%20lead. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “take the lead,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20the%20lead.

Source: take the lead on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.