lead-off
C1Mainly informal, common in sports and business contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To begin or start something, especially an event, series, or turn at batting.
The first person, item, or action in a sequence; a person who initiates an action or discussion.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can function as a noun, adjective, or verb (phrasal verb). The noun often refers to the person/thing that goes first. In baseball, the 'lead-off hitter' bats first in the lineup.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common in American English, particularly in baseball contexts. In UK sports like cricket, 'opening batsman' is used instead. The concept is understood in UK English but used less frequently.
Connotations
In AmE, strongly connotes baseball. In BrE, more general connotation of 'starting' an event or discussion.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English due to baseball terminology. In UK corpus data, appears but is less dominant.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Someone] leads off [something] (e.g., She led off the meeting).[Something] serves as a lead-off [to something] (e.g., His comment was a lead-off to a broader debate).Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Lead off with (something): to begin by doing or saying something specific.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe the first speaker in a meeting or the first topic on an agenda.
Academic
Rare; 'inaugural' or 'introductory' is preferred.
Everyday
Used casually to mean 'start', e.g., 'Who wants to lead off the discussion?'
Technical
Primarily in sports statistics and commentary, especially baseball.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She will lead off the debate with a keynote address.
- The conference led off with a workshop on sustainability.
American English
- He's going to lead off the inning for the Yankees.
- Let's lead off with the quarterly sales figures.
adjective
British English
- The lead-off presenter set a positive tone.
- We need a strong lead-off topic for the agenda.
American English
- The lead-off hitter has a high on-base percentage.
- Her lead-off question caught everyone off guard.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Who will lead off the discussion?
- The lead-off speaker was very interesting.
- The manager asked her to lead off the presentation with the financial summary.
- As the lead-off batter, his job is to get on base.
- The symposium led off with a provocative paper that framed the entire subsequent debate.
- His incendiary remarks served as the lead-off for a series of heated editorial responses.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a race: the person who LEADS the others OFF the starting line is the LEAD-OFF.
Conceptual Metaphor
BEGINNING IS A STARTING LINE (The first in a sequence is the one who breaks away from the starting point).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'лид' (a news lead) or 'вести' (to lead). 'Lead-off' is about sequence, not guidance.
- Do not translate as 'свинцовый' (the metal lead).
- The phrasal verb 'lead off' is not the same as 'lead to' (приводить к).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'lead-off' as a synonym for 'leader' (e.g., 'He is the lead-off of the team').
- Misspelling as 'led-off' (past tense is 'led off', but adjective/noun is 'lead-off').
- Overusing in formal writing where 'begin' or 'commence' is more appropriate.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'lead-off' MOST commonly used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when used as an adjective or noun (e.g., lead-off hitter). The verb form is usually not hyphenated (e.g., to lead off).
It's acceptable but slightly informal. In very formal contexts, prefer 'inaugural', 'introductory', or 'initial'.
They are similar, but 'kick-off' is strongly associated with football (soccer/American football) starting play. 'Lead-off' is more general but has a strong tie to baseball.
The past tense is 'led off' (e.g., 'She led off the meeting yesterday').