Dictionary

leadish en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɛdɪʃ/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Celtic *ɸloudom Gaulish *loudonbor.? Proto-West Germanic *laud Old English lēad Middle English led Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-isk Old English -isċ Middle English -isch Middle English ledisch English leadish From Middle English ledisch, equivalent to lead + -ish.

Meanings

1. (rare) Resembling or containing lead (the metal).
   • The upper part of the tail is about seven feet, and lower about three feet; the skin is of a leadish colour, and will sharpen a knife like a stone. 1822, The New Monthly, volume 6, page 406:
   • The rich Ore is refined by melting in the Guayras, as having the most Lead, which causes it to run; and the Indians, to make it melt the better, put into the Furnace what they call Soroche, being a very Leadish Ore. 1755, James Hernandez, A philosophical and practical essay on the gold and silver mines of Mexico and Peru, page 28:
   • He spoke shortly after proposing a champagne toast to 'La Patagonie et L'Araucanie libre!' surrounded by his court in exile, amongst whom In Patagonia had gone down like a leadish balloon. 2006, Nicholas Shakespeare, “Introduction”, in Bruce Chatwin, editor, In Patagonia:
   • Those that are pale, signify feebleness of the spirits; those that are deep red, and inflamed, are worse; greenish, worse; violet or leadish, worse and worse; the black, worst of all. 1696, Gideon Harvey, A Treatise of the Small-pox and Measles, page 93:
   • In living fish, there is a long, weakly defined stripe of leadish color, three-quarters of the eye diameter, which continues along the body at the level of the upper part of the eyes 1998, Journal of Ichthyology - Volume 38, Issues 5-9, page 548:

Forms

Synonyms

leadlike