Dictionary entry
in the lead
/in ðə liːd/
adjective
领先；处于首位
ahead of others in a race or competition; holding the leading position
In use
After the first lap, the young runner was in the lead.
Our company is in the lead in the local market this year.
She is in the lead with ten points, but the game isn't over yet.
be in the lead
单独使用时表示处于领先地位。
Our team is in the lead.
我们队领先。
be in the lead in + noun/phrase
用in引出领先的领域或活动。
She is in the lead in the race.
她在比赛中领先。
be in the lead of + noun/phrase
用of引出领先的群体或范围。
The company is in the lead of the market.
这家公司在市场上领先。
Common mistakes
He is on the lead.He is in the lead.
介词错误：表示‘领先’应用‘in the lead’，而不是‘on the lead’。‘on’通常表示‘在…上面’，而‘in’表示处于领先位置。
She is in lead.She is in the lead.
冠词缺失：固定短语‘in the lead’中必须使用定冠词‘the’，不能省略。
Connections
Collocations
- be in the lead
- 处于领先地位
- After the first lap, the runner was in the lead.第一圈之后，那位赛跑选手处于领先地位。
- stay in the lead
- 保持领先
- The company managed to stay in the lead by innovating constantly.这家公司通过不断创新保持了领先地位。
- remain in the lead
- 继续领先
- The team remained in the lead until the final whistle.该队直到终场哨响都一直领先。
- put someone in the lead
- 使某人领先
- Her brilliant speech put her in the lead among the candidates.她精彩的演讲使她在候选人中处于领先位置。
- find oneself in the lead
- 发现自己领先
- The cyclist found himself in the lead after a sudden sprint.那位自行车手在突然冲刺后发现自己领先了。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
把lead联想为‘领导’，in the lead即‘在领导位置’，意为领先。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：sports competitions、business competition、election campaigns、academic rankings 该短语通常用于描述比赛、竞争等场景中的领先状态，在日常口语和正式书面语中都较为常见，属于中性偏正式的表达。
Grammar Note
通常用作表语，不置于名词前
Dictionary facts from ECDICT.