1 B1 neutral
To physically guide or escort someone or something out of a place.
"The stable hand led the horse out of the barn and into the paddock."
separable
lead out
B2 neutral separable transitive
To guide or escort someone or something out of a place, or to lead a group forward out of a starting position.
In plain English
Take or guide someone out of a place, or go first when a team or group comes out.
What does "lead out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
To be at the front of a team or group as they emerge from a starting area, especially in sport.
"The captain had the honour of leading the team out at Wembley for the final."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To lead (guide) someone out (of a place).
Actually means
Take or guide someone out of a place, or go first when a team or group comes out.
Usage tip
Used in sports contexts (a captain leading a team out onto the field), ceremonial contexts (leading a procession out), and literally (leading an animal or person out of a building). British sports media use 'lead out' frequently for team captains.
Words that pair with "lead out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
team captain horse crowd children procession
How to conjugate "lead out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
lead out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
leads out
he/she/it
Past simple
led out
yesterday
Past participle
led out
have + pp
-ing form
leading out
continuous
Hear "lead out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "lead out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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