lead on

Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition

Phrasal Verb: - To deceive someone, especially by encouraging false hopes or beliefs: To intentionally mislead or trick a person, often by making promises or suggestions that are not sincere or will not be fulfilled. - To entice or persuade someone into doing something, often unwise or mistaken: To encourage or lure someone to proceed with an action or belief, typically one that is not in their best interest.

Usage and Examples

  • Deceiving someone:

    • He didn't love her; he was just leading her on. (He was deceiving her about his true feelings.)
    • The salesman led us on with promises of huge discounts. (The salesman tricked us with false promises.)

  • Enticing someone into an unwise action:

    • Her flattery led him on to invest in the risky scheme. (Her compliments persuaded him to make the bad investment.)
    • Don't be led on by their smooth talk. (Do not be persuaded by their convincing but misleading words.)
Advanced Usage and Nuances
  • The phrasal verb often implies a continuous or prolonged act of deception, not just a single lie.
  • It frequently carries a strong negative connotation of manipulation and exploitation of trust.
  • Grammatical Note: It is a separable phrasal verb. The object (the person being deceived) can often come between "lead" and "on."
    • He led the investors on with false data. (This is more common.)
    • He led on the investors with false data. (This is also correct.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Lead (verb): To guide or direct. "Lead on" is a specific phrasal form with a distinct meaning of deception.
  • Mislead (verb): To cause someone to have a wrong idea or impression. This is a close synonym but is a single word, not a phrasal verb.
  • String along (phrasal verb): To deceive someone over a period of time, especially in a relationship. Very similar to "lead on."
Synonyms
  • Deceive: To cause someone to believe something that is not true.
  • Mislead: To guide someone in the wrong direction or give them a false idea.
  • Delude: To impose a misleading belief upon someone.
  • Entice: To attract or tempt, which is a key component of "leading someone on."
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Lead up to: To precede or prepare the way for an event.
    • The negotiations led up to the final agreement. (This has no deceptive meaning.)
  • Lead off: To begin or start something.
    • She will lead off the discussion. (This has no deceptive meaning.)
Related Idioms
  • Lead someone down the garden path: To deceive or mislead someone. This idiom is very close in meaning to "lead someone on."
    • He led her down the garden path with promises of marriage.
  • Lead someone a merry dance: (Chiefly British) To cause someone a lot of trouble or difficulty, often by being deceptive or elusive.
    • The suspect led the police a merry dance before being caught.
Verb
  1. be false to; be dishonest with
  2. entice or induce especially when unwise or mistaken

Từ đồng nghĩa

Từ gần giống