Word Study
leaden
CIDE DICTIONARY
leaden, a.
- Made of lead; of the nature of lead; as, a leaden ball. [1913 Webster]
- Like lead in color, etc.; as, a leaden sky. [1913 Webster]
- Heavy; dull; sluggish. Shak. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
leaden, adj.
1 of or like lead.
2 heavy, slow, burdensome (leaden limbs).
3 inert, depressing (leaden rule).
4 lead-coloured (leaden skies).
1 of or like lead.
2 heavy, slow, burdensome (leaden limbs).
3 inert, depressing (leaden rule).
4 lead-coloured (leaden skies).
Idiom
leaden seal a stamped piece of lead holding the ends of a wire used as a fastening.
Derivative
leadenly adv. leadenness n.
Etymology
OE leaden (as LEAD(2))
THESAURUS
leaden
Latinate, Quaker-colored, abeyant, achromatic, achromic, acier, anemic, apathetic, arid, ashen, ashy, aureate, awkward, barren, benumbed, blah, bled white, bloodless, bombastic, bored, brass, brassy, brazen, bronze, bronzy, burdensome, cadaverous, canescent, cataleptic, catatonic, characterless, chloranemic, cinereous, cinerous, cold, colorless, copper, coppery, cramped, cumbrous, cupreous, cuprous, dapple, dapple-gray, dappled, dappled-gray, dark, dead, deadly pale, deathly pale, debilitated, dense, dim, dimmed, dingy, discolored, dismal, dopey, dormant, dove-colored, dove-gray, draggy, drearisome, dreary, droopy, drugged, dry, dryasdust, dull, dusty, effete, elephantine, empty, enervated, etiolated, exanimate, exsanguinated, exsanguine, exsanguineous, fade, faded, faint, fallow, fat, ferrous, ferruginous, flat, forced, formal, foul, ghastly, gilt, glaucescent, glaucous, gloomy, glowering, gold, gold-filled, gold-plated, golden, gray, gray-black, gray-brown, gray-colored, gray-drab, gray-green, gray-spotted, gray-toned, gray-white, grayed, grayish, grey, griseous, grizzle, grizzled, grizzly, groggy, guinde, haggard, halting, heavy, heavyweight, hebetudinous, hefty, ho-hum, hollow, hueless, hypochromic, in abeyance, in suspense, inactive, inane, inanimate, inert, inexcitable, inkhorn, insipid, iron, iron-gray, ironlike, jaded, jejune, labored, lackadaisical, lackluster, languid, languorous, latent, lead, lead-gray, lethargic, lifeless, listless, livid, logy, low-spirited, lowering, lumbering, lumpish, lurid, lusterless, massive, massy, mat, mealy, mercurial, mercurous, moribund, mouse-colored, mouse-gray, mousy, muddy, neutral, nickel, nickelic, nickeline, numb, numbing, onerous, oppressive, overweight, pale, pale as death, pale-faced, pallid, passive, pasty, pearl, pearl-gray, pearly, pedestrian, pewter, pewtery, phlegmatic, plodding, pointless, poky, pompous, ponderous, pooped, quicksilver, sad, sallow, sated, sedentary, sesquipedalian, sickly, silver, silver-gray, silver-plated, silvered, silvery, slack, slate-colored, slaty, sleeping, sleepy, slow, sluggish, slumbering, smoke-gray, smoky, smoldering, sober, solemn, somber, somnolent, soporific, spiritless, stagnant, stagnating, standing, static, steel, steel-gray, steely, sterile, stiff, stilted, stodgy, stone-colored, stuffy, stultified, sullen, superficial, supine, suspended, tallow-faced, tame, tasteless, taupe, tedious, tin, tinny, toneless, torpid, turgid, unaroused, uncolored, unlively, unwieldy, vapid, vegetable, vegetative, wan, washed-out, waxen, weak, weary, weighty, whey-faced, white, wooden, world-wearyROGET THESAURUS
leaden
Inactivity
N inactivity, inaction, inertness, obstinacy, lull, quiescence, rust, rustiness, idleness, remissness, sloth, indolence, indiligence, dawdling, ergophobia, otiosity, dullness, languor, segnity, segnitude, lentor, sluggishness, procrastination, torpor, torpidity, torpescence, stupor, somnolence, drowsiness, nodding, oscitation, oscitancy, pandiculation, hypnotism, lethargy, statuvolence heaviness, heavy eyelids, sleep, slumber, sound sleep, heavy sleep, balmy sleep, Morpheus, Somnus, coma, trance, ecstasis, dream, hibernation, nap, doze, snooze, siesta, wink of sleep, forty winks, snore, hypnology, dull work, pottering, relaxation, Castle of Indolence, lullaby, sedative, tranquilizer, hypnotic, sleeping pill, relaxant, anaesthetic, general anaesthetic, torpedo, idler, drone, droil, dawdle, mopus, do- little faineant, dummy, sleeping partner, afternoon farmer, truant, bummer, loafer, goldbrick, goldbicker, lounger, lazzarone, lubber, lubbard, slow coach (slow, ), opium eater, lotus eater, slug, lag, sluggard, slugabed, slumberer, dormouse, marmot, waiter on Providence, fruges consumere natus, inactive, motionless, unoccupied, unbusied, indolent, lazy, slothful, idle, lusk, remiss, slack, inert, torpid, sluggish, otiose, languid, supine, heavy, dull, leaden, lumpish, exanimate, soulless, listless, drony, dronish, lazy as Ludlam's dog, dilatory, laggard, lagging, slow, rusty, flagging, lackadaisical, maudlin, fiddle-faddle, pottering, shilly-shally, sleeping asleep, fast asleep, dead asleep, sound asleep, in a sound sleep, sound as a top, dormant, comatose, in the arms of Morpheus, in the lap of Morpheus, sleepy, sleepful, dozy, drowsy, somnolent, torpescent, lethargic, lethargical, somnifacient, statuvolent, statuvolic, heavy, heavy with sleep, napping, somnific, somniferous, soporous, soporific, soporiferous, hypnotic, balmy, dreamy, unawakened, unawakened, sedative, inactively, at leisure, the eyes begin to draw straws, bankrupt of life yet prodigal of ease, better 50 years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay, idly busy rolls their world away, the mystery of folded sleep, the timely dew of sleep, thou driftest gently down the tides of sleep, tired Nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep.Dimness
N dimness, darkness, paleness, half light, demi-jour, partial shadow, partial eclipse, shadow of a shade, glimmer, gliming, nebulosity, cloud, eclipse, aurora, dusk, twilight, shades of evening, crepuscule, cockshut time, break of day, daybreak, dawn, moonlight, moonbeam, moonglade, moonshine, starlight, owl's light, candlelight, rushlight, firelight, farthing candle, dim, dull, lackluster, dingy, darkish, shorn of its beams, dark, faint, shadowed forth, glassy, cloudy, misty, blear, muggy, fuliginous, nebulous, nebular, obnubilated, overcast, crepuscular, muddy, lurid, leaden, dun, dirty, looming, pale, confused.Achromatism
N achromatism, decoloration, discoloration, pallor, pallidness, pallidity, paleness, etiolation, neutral tint, monochrome, black and white, uncolored &c (color), colorless, achromatic, aplanatic, etiolate, etiolated, hueless, pale, pallid, palefaced, tallow-faced, faint, dull, cold, muddy, leaden, dun, wan, sallow, dead, dingy, ashy, ashen, ghastly, cadaverous, glassy, lackluster, discolored, light-colored, fair, blond, white, pale as death, pale as ashes, pale as a witch, pale as a ghost, pale as a corpse, white as a corpse.Gray
N gray, neutral tint, silver, pepper and salt, chiaroscuro, grisaille, Payne's gray, black, gray, grey, iron-gray, dun, drab, dingy, leaden, livid, somber, sad, pearly, russet, roan, calcareous, limy, favillous, silver, silvery, silvered, ashen, ashy, cinereous, cineritious, grizzly, grizzled, slate-colored, stone-colored, mouse-colored, ash-colored, cool.For further exploring for "leaden" in Webster Dictionary Online