Definition of led

The word "led" has a complex and nuanced etymology. In Old English, the word "led" was derived from the verb "lēdan," which means "to lead" or "to guide." This verb is thought to have originated from the Proto-Germanic "*lethan," which is also the source of the Modern English word "loth" (meaning "unwilling"). The Old English verb "lēdan" initially meant "to guide or direct," but it eventually took on the sense of "to move or cause to move in a certain direction." This sense is still present in Modern English, as seen in phrases like "led astray" or "led to believe." In the 17th century, the verb "led" underwent a significant shift, coming to mean "past tense of lead," indicating that something has been guided or directed in the past. This sense is now the more commonly used meaning of the word "led" in Modern English.