Noun

1. An advantage held by a competitor in a race
2. A soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull grey
3. Evidence pointing to a possible solution
4. A position of leadership (especially in the phrase `take the lead')
5. The angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)
6. The introductory section of a story
7. (sports) the score by which a team or individual is winning
8. An actor who plays a principal role
9. (baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base
10. An indication of potential opportunity
11. A news story of major importance
12. The timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine
13. Restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal
14. Thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing
15. Mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil
16. A jumper that consists of a short piece of wire
17. The playing of a card to start a trick in bridge

Verb

1. Take somebody somewhere
2. Have as a result or residue
3. Tend to or result in
4. Travel in front of; go in advance of others
5. Cause to undertake a certain action
6. Stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point
7. Be in charge of
8. Be ahead of others; be the first
9. Be conducive to
10. Lead, as in the performance of a composition
11. Lead, extend, or afford access
12. Move ahead (of others) in time or space
13. Cause something to pass or lead somewhere
14. Preside over