From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthe leadthe leadWINthe first position in a race or competition She was in the lead from start to finish. The Canadians went into the lead after only 30 seconds. The goal put Holland into the lead. The Bears took the lead for the first time this season. → lead
Examples from the Corpus
was in the lead• A man on a black horse was in the lead, pointing the way.• We got our cherry popped that day, and my platoon was in the lead.• Ayrton Senna was in the lead and that's where he would stay for the rest of the afternoon.• Mr Toledo was in the lead with 36 %. 