’Lead’의 어원은 ‘(앞서서) 안내하다(She led us out into the ground)’는 의미를 가지는데, 이 의미가 여러 방향으로 확장된다. 먼저, 앞장선다는 의미가 강조되어 ‘선두를 달리다(The lab led the world in virus research)’라는 의미, 다음으로 안내의 결과 어딘 가에 다다르게 되는데 그런 의미에서 ‘연결되다(the pipe leading from the top of the oil tank)’라는 의미 그리고 추상적인 개념으로 다른 행동으로 ‘유도하다(What led you to that conclusion?)’라는 의미가 파생된다.

‘선두를 달리다’라는 의미는 먼저 시작하다(It’s your turn to lead.)라는 의미, 선두(He took the lead in the third lap.)라는 의미나 우세라는 의미로 확장된다. ‘연결되다’는 의미는 전원에 연결하는 전깃줄(jump lead, extension lead)이라는 의미나 특정 방향으로 이어지다(A path led up the hill.)라는 의미로 확장되고 거기서 결과적으로 어떤 상태에 이르다(Eating too much salt can lead to health problems)라는 의미가 된다.

어떤 행동으로 ‘유도하다’라는 의미는 무언가로 ‘이끌다(She was easily led)’라는 의미로 확장되고 다시 선례(follow the lead), 실마리(The police will check all the possible leads), 드라마나 영화의 스토리를 이끄는 주인공(She is playing the lead.)이라는 의미까지 확장된다. 다른 한편으로는 특정 형태의 생활을 하다(to lead a quiet life)는 의미가 된다.