1.  leading(n = noun.artifact) lead - thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing;
is a kind of slip, strip

2.  leading(n = noun.act) leadership - the activity of leading; "his leadership inspired the team"
is a kind of activity
has particulars: helm, lead, trend setting

1.  leading(s = adj.all) prima, star, starring, stellar - indicating the most important performer or role; "the leading man"; "prima ballerina"; "prima donna"; "a star figure skater"; "the starring role"; "a stellar role"; "a stellar performance"

2.  leading(s = adj.all) preeminent - greatest in importance or degree or significance or achievement; "our greatest statesmen"; "the country's leading poet"; "a preeminent archeologist"

3.  leading(a = adj.all) - going or proceeding or going in advance; showing the way; "we rode in the leading car"; "the leading edge of technology"
Antonym: following

4.  leading(s = adj.all) ahead, in the lead - having the leading position or higher score in a contest; "he is ahead by a pawn"; "the leading team in the pennant race"

   Guiding; directing; controlling; foremost; as, a leading motive; a leading man; a leading example. [1913 Webster]

1.  The act of guiding, directing, governing, or enticing; guidance. Shak. [1913 Webster]

2.  Suggestion; hint; example. Bacon. [1913 Webster]

leading, adj. & n.
--adj. chief; most important.
--n. guidance, leadership.

Idiom:
leading aircraftman the rank above aircraftman in the RAF. leading article a newspaper article giving the editorial opinion. leading counsel the senior barrister of two or more in a case. leading edge
1 the foremost edge of an aerofoil, esp. a wing or propeller blade.
2 Electronics the part of a pulse in which the amplitude increases (opp. trailing edge). leading lady the actress playing the principal part. leading light a prominent and influential person. leading man the actor playing the principal part. leading note Mus. = SUBTONIC. leading question a question that prompts the answer wanted. leading seaman the rank next below NCO in the Royal Navy.
leading-strings (or -reins)
1 strings for guiding children learning to walk.
2 oppressive supervision or control. leading tone US Mus. = leading note.

leading, n. Printing = LEAD(2) n. 6.

N  importance, consequence, moment, prominence, consideration, mark, materialness, import, significance, concern, emphasis, interest, greatness, superiority, notability, weight, value, usefulness, gravity, seriousness, solemnity, no joke, no laughing matter, pressure, urgency, stress, matter of life and death, memorabilia, notabilia, great doings, red-letter day, great thing, great point, main chance, the be all and the end all, cardinal point, substance, gist, sum and substance, gravamen, head and front, important part, principal part, prominent part, essential part, half the battle, sine qua non, breath of one's nostrils, cream, salt, core, kernel, heart, nucleus, keynote, keystone, corner stone, trump card, salient points, top sawyer, first fiddle, prima donna, chief, triton among the minnows, 'it', important, of importance, momentous, material, to the point, not to be overlooked, not to be despised, not to be sneezed at, egregious, weighty, of note, notable, prominent, salient, signal, memorable, remarkable, unforgettable, worthy of remark, worthy of notice, never to be forgotten, stirring, eventful, grave, serious, earnest, noble, grand, solemn, impressive, commanding, imposing, urgent, pressing, critical, instant, paramount, essential, vital, all-absorbing, radical, cardinal, chief, main, prime, primary, principal, leading, capital, foremost, overruling, of vital importance in the front rank, first-rate, superior, considerable, marked, rare, significant, telling, trenchant, emphatic, pregnant, tanti, materially, in the main, above all, kat' exochin, par excellence, to crown all, to beat all, expende Hannibalem!.

N  beginning, commencement, opening, outset, incipience, inception, inchoation, introduction, alpha, initial, inauguration, debut, le premier pas, embarcation, rising of the curtain, maiden speech, outbreak, onset, brunt, initiative, move, first move, narrow end of the wedge, thin end of the wedge, fresh start, new departure, origin, source, rise, bud, germ, egg, rudiment, genesis, primogenesis, birth, nativity, cradle, infancy, start, inception, creation, starting point, dawn, evolution, title-page, head, heading, van, caption, fatihah, entrance, entry, inlet, orifice, mouth, chops, lips, porch, portal, portico, propylon, door, gate, gateway, postern, wicket, threshold, vestibule, propylaeum, skirts, border, first stage, first blush, first glance, first impression, first sight, rudiments, elements, outlines, grammar, alphabet, ABC, beginning, initial, initiatory, initiative, inceptive, introductory, incipient, proemial, inaugural, inchoate, inchoative, embryonic, rudimental, primogenial, primeval, primitive, primordial, aboriginal, natal, nascent, first, foremost, leading, maiden, begun, just begun, at the beginning, in the beginning first, in the first place, imprimis, first and foremost, in limine, in the bud, in embryo, in its infancy, from the beginning, from its birth, ab initio, ab ovo, ab incunabilis, ab origine, let's get going!, let's get this show on the road!, up and at 'em!, aller Anfang ist schwer, dimidium facti qui coepit habet, omnium rerum principia parva sunt.

N  precession, leading, heading, precedence, priority, the lead, le pas, van, precursor, leading, precedent, in advance, before, ahead, in the van, in the lead, foremost, headmost, in front, at the head, out in front, way out in front, far ahead, seniores priores, ahead of his time, precession, leading, heading, precedence, priority, the lead, le pas, van, precursor, leading, precedent, in advance, before, ahead, in the van, in the lead, foremost, headmost, in front, at the head, out in front, way out in front, far ahead, seniores priores, ahead of his time.

leading astray, leading edge, leading indicator, leading lady, leading light, leading man, leading off, leading question, leading rein, leading tone