Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Made of or containing lead.
- adjective Heavy and inert.
- adjective Listless; sluggish.
- adjective Lacking liveliness or sparkle; dull.
- adjective Downcast; depressed.
- adjective Dull, dark gray in color.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To fasten or cover with lead.
- To weigh down with or as with lead, as one's spirits.
- Made or consisting of lead: as, a leaden ball; a leaden coffin.
- Like lead in any particular.
- Of the color of lead; dull-colored; hence, gloomy: as, a leaden sky.
- [Leaden is often compounded with participial adjectives: as, leaden- winged time; a leaden -paced messenger.
- Synonyms Lead, Leaden. Lead as an adjective is not used figuratively: leaden is used both literally and figuratively: as, a lead or leaden image; a leaden sky. A similar distinction exists between wood and wooden, gold and golden, etc.: as, a wood partition; wooden walls; wooden immobility; a gold watch; golden clouds, or hopes, or prospects. The form in -en is generally preferable rhythmically; hence its retention and extension in poetic use.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Made of lead; of the nature of lead.
- adjective Like lead in color, etc..
- adjective Heavy; dull; sluggish.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective dated Made of
lead . - adjective Pertaining to or resembling
lead ;heavy ,grey ,sluggish . - adjective Dull; darkened with overcast.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective made of lead
- adjective lacking lightness or liveliness
- adjective darkened with overcast
- adjective (of movement) slow and laborious
- adjective made heavy or weighted down with weariness
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Director Yelena Demikovsky attempts to a tell a story of innocence lost and the fleeting nature of youthful affection, but winds up getting bogged down in leaden dialogue and cheesy music, both of which conspire to drag her film even deeper into the depths of irredeemable melodrama.
Current Movie Reviews, Independent Movies - Film Threat 2009
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She reached the landing at the mid-point of the staircase and saw the twin leaden benches that sat on either side of the platform.
365 tomorrows » 2007 » July : A New Free Flash Fiction SciFi Story Every Day 2007
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23 I have adopted the word leaden as expressive of the idea implied in the original word, viz. grey or greyish blue; hence, dulled, dimmed.
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“Increase speed to nine-point-nine,” Riker told him, every word leaden.
VENDETTA: THE GIANT NOVEL PETER DAVID 1991
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“Increase speed to nine-point-nine,” Riker told him, every word leaden.
VENDETTA: THE GIANT NOVEL PETER DAVID 1991
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“Increase speed to nine-point-nine,” Riker told him, every word leaden.
VENDETTA: THE GIANT NOVEL PETER DAVID 1991
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By means of a strip of lead called a leaden tape, which he pressed around and into the fillets and hollows with his finger and thumb, he transferred the exact contour of each moulding to his drawing, that lay on a sketching-stool a few feet distant; where were also a sketching-block, a small T-square, a bow-pencil, and other mathematical instruments.
A Laodicean : a Story of To-day Thomas Hardy 1884
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His public utterances are more likely to be described as leaden than poetic.
Home | Mail Online 2009
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His public utterances are more likely to be described as leaden than poetic.
WN.com - Articles related to Tips for engaging children in the kitchen 2009
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His lungs feel "leaden," he has trouble concentrating on his graphic designs that used to give him so much pleasure, his moods swing unpredictably, he is dizzy, and the fragrance in ordinary household products makes his eyes water and sinuses stuffy.
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