lede
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. The introductory section of a story: The opening sentences or paragraph of a news article, designed to summarize the most important information and capture the reader's attention.
Usage
The word "lede" is a specialized journalistic term. It refers specifically to the beginning of a news story. Its primary function is to present the essential facts—who, what, when, where, why, and how—in a concise and compelling manner to immediately inform the reader.
Examples
- The journalist spent an hour crafting the perfect lede for her investigative report.
- A strong lede is crucial for grabbing a reader's attention in today's fast-paced media environment.
- The editor said the story's lede was too vague and needed to be rewritten.
Advanced Usage
- Burying the lede: A common idiom meaning to fail to emphasize the most important point of a story at the beginning, instead placing it later where readers might miss it.
- The speaker talked for twenty minutes about process before mentioning the breakthrough; he really buried the lede.
Variants and Related Words
- Lead (noun): The more common, alternative spelling for "lede." In modern journalism, "lede" is often used to distinguish the introductory text from the metal "lead" used in printing presses or the verb "to lead."
- Lead-in (noun): Something that introduces or prepares for something else, such as an introductory remark or segment.
- The comedian's anecdote was a funny lead-in to his main routine.
Synonyms
- Introduction
- Opening
- Preface
- Preamble (more formal, often for documents or speeches)
Notes on Meaning
"Lede" has one primary, specialized meaning in journalism. It is not used in general conversation. The spelling "lede" originated as a deliberate misspelling within the newspaper industry to avoid confusion with the word "lead" (the metal) in typesetting and editorial instructions.
Noun
- the introductory section of a story
- it was an amusing lead-in to a very serious matter