the British Parliament. There are two Leaders of the House, one for the House of Commons and one for the House of Lords.
Leader of the Oppo'sition, the leader of the main party opposing the government in the British parliament
lead-er-ship /ˈliːdəʃɪpəl-ər-/ n 1 [U(of)] the position of leader: He was elected to the leadership of the Labour party. | Britain has lost her leadership in the shipbuilding industry. 2 [U] the qualities necessary in a leader: She lacks leadership. 3 [C+sing./pl. v] a group of people who lead: The leadership of the movement is/are in agreement on this issue.
lead-free petrol /,led fri: 'petrəl/ BrE ‖ ,lead-free 'gasoline, lead-free 'gas AmE — n [U] PETROL containing no lead
lead-in /ˈliːd ɪn/ n remarks made by someone to introduce a radio or television show
lead·ing¹ /ˈliːdɪŋ/ adj [A] most important; chief; main: He was one of the leading composers of his time. | a leading role in the film
lead·ing² /'ledɪŋ/ n [U] 1 lead used for covering roofs, for window frames etc 2 the space left between lines of printed matter: 9 point type on a 10 point leading
leading arti-cle /,lɪdɪŋ 'ɑːtɪkəll-'ɑːr-/ n BrE for EDITORIAL
leading la-dy /ˌliːdɪŋˈleɪdi/, leading 'man masc. — n the person who acts the leading female or male part in a film, play etc
leading light /ˌliːdɪŋˈlaɪt/ n [(in, of)] infilm a person of importance or influence: Bill is one of the leading lights of the local dramatic society.
leading question /,li:dɪŋ 'kwestʃən/ n a question formed in such a way that it suggests the expected answer. In a court of law LAWYERS are not allowed to ask leading questions.
lead-off /ˈliːd ˈofl-ɔːf/ adj AmE [A] coming or going first, before others: the lead-off pitcher for The Twins | the lead-off title in a new series of How-To books → see also LEAD OFF
lead time /'liːd taɪm/ n [U] the time taken in planning and producing a new product, before it is actually ready for sale
leads /ledz/ n [P] 1 sheets of lead used for covering a roof 2 narrow pieces of lead used for holding small pieces of glass together to form a LATTICE window
lead-up /ˈliːd ʌp/ n [S] the things that are done in the time before an important event: the lead-up to the election → compare RUN-UP
leaf¹ /liːf/ n pl. leaves /liːvz/ 1 [C] any of the usually flat green parts of a plant that are joined to its stems or branches: autumn leaves | The trees are in/are coming into leaf. 2 [C] a thin sheet of paper, especially a page in a book → see also LOOSE-LEAF, OVERLEAF 3 [U] metal, especially gold or silver, in a very thin sheet: gold leaf 4 [C] part of a tabletop, door etc that can be slid, folded, or taken into or out of use: Pull out both leaves of the table. 5 take a leaf out of someone's book to follow someone's example 6 turn over a new leaf to begin a new course of improved behaviour, habits etc: I've decided to turn over a new leaf and do lots of exercise from now on. 7 -leaved /liːvd/ also -leafed /liːft/ — having leaves of the stated type or number: a narrow-leaved plant
leaf through sthg. phr v [T] to turn the pages of (a book, magazine etc) quickly without reading much: I was leafing through an old school magazine when I came across your photo.
leaf·let¹ /'li:flɪt/ n a small, often folded piece of printed paper, often advertising something, usually given free to the public
leaflet² v -t BrE || -tt especially AmE [|;T] especially BrE to give out or post leaflets in (a certain area), especially as part of political activity: He's been out leafeting (the housing estate).
'leaf mould n [U] dead decaying leaves which form a rich top surface to soil
leaf·y /ˈliːfi/ adj 1 having many leaves: a very leafy bush 2 especially lit having many trees: the leafy suburbs of London
league¹ /liːg/ n 1 a group of sports clubs or players that play matches among themselves: the Football League | a darts league | a league match | league football → compare CONFERENCE; see also FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2 a group of people, countries etc who have joined together to protect or improve their position, or to bring about a particular result 3 infml a level of quality; class: They're not in the same league as the French at making wine. | You'll find you're out of your league if you challenge him to a game – he's the chess club champion. 4 in league (with) working together (with), often secretly or for a bad purpose: The police suspected that the bank clerk was in league with the robbers. 5 someone/something is (way) out of someone's league if something that someone wants to buy or do is out of their league, they do not have the money or ability to do or buy it: I know you like the house, but we don't have that kind of money – Beverley Hills is way out of our league. | People like Barry don't dream big enough. They always assume that a job or a course is out of their league, so they shouldn't even try.
league² v [I;T(TOGETHER)] rare to unite in or join a LEAGUE
league $ ^{3} $ n old use a measure of distance of about three miles or five kilometres
,League against Cruel 'Sports, the a UK organization which wants to make killing animals for sport illegal. It is opposed to many forms of hunting, including hunting with HOUNDs, shooting, and especially FOX hunting. → see also HUNT SABOTEUR
'League of Arab 'States, the also the Arab League an organization of Arab countries in North Africa and southwest Asia, which was formed in 1945 to encourage these countries to work together and deal with problems affecting their members
'League of 'Nations, the an international organization that was established after World War I to encourage countries to work together and achieve international peace. It was replaced in 1946 by the UNITED NATIONS.
,League of Women 'Voters, the also the League of Women Voters of the United States a US organization that encourages women to vote, and makes sure that laws or policies that affect women are properly discussed and thought about
'league ,table n [C] especially BrE a list that shows the positions of people, teams, or organizations that are competing against each other
CULTURAL NOTE The UK government prints league tables of schools which put the schools in order according to their examination results. Some people think that this helps parents to choose the best school for their children, but other people think that they are unhelpful and are not a good way of judging how successful a school is.
leak¹ /lik/ v 1 [|;T] to let (a liquid, gas etc) in or out of a hole or crack: The tank is leaking (petrol). 2 [|(OUT, IN)] (of a liquid, gas etc) to get out through a hole or crack: Oil was leaking out of a hole in the tank. | water leaking in through a hole in the roof 3 [T(TO)] to make known (news, facts etc that ought to be secret): Someone in the ministry had leaked the story to the press.
leak out phr v [l] (of news, facts etc that ought to be secret) to become known: It has leaked out that they intend to increase the arms budget.
leak² n 1 [C] a small accidental hole or crack through which something flows in or out: You'd better repair that leak in the fuel pipe. 2 [C] an escape of liquid, gas etc through such a hole: a gas leak | a leak of nuclear waste 3 [C] an accidental or intentional spreading of news, facts etc that ought to be secret: a security leak 4 [S] slang an act of passing water from the body: I'm just going to take/have a leak. (=to URINATE)
leak·age /ˈliːkɪdʒ/ n 1 [C;U] an example of something leaking: The short circuit was due to (a) leakage of water. 2 [C] something which has leaked in or out: He wiped up the leakage.
Lea·key /ˈliːki/ a family of British scientists working in the area of PALEONTOLOGY (=the study of ancient animals and plants that have been preserved in rock): Mary Leakey (1913–96), her husband Louis Leakey (1903–72), and their son Richard Leakey (1944–), all of whom discovered many FOSSILS and human bones in Tanzania which have provided important information about how humans first developed