lump of lead

USAGE SUMMARY

"lump of lead" is correct and can be used in written English.
You could use it to describe a physical object, as in: "I was surprised to find a lump of lead on the beach."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Arts

Lifestyle

Books

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

It's just a small lump of lead.

The Times

David Pocock is like a big lump of lead.

The Guardian - Sport

The first principle being a lump of lead.

The Guardian - Books

An alchemical question: how do you make a book from a lump of lead?

The Guardian - Books

For an instant it looked as if the keel had sheered off and the ship would go down like a lump of lead.

The Economist

Then the plates and the type were inked, thick wove paper was bought, the 48 pages were printed, sewn up and limp-bound, and lo! – the lump of lead had become a book.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

My legs seemed to alternate between jelly and lumps of lead and even though my lap times didn't differ too much it felt incredibly hard work.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

His vast pictures, thick with paint and embedded with objects from sunflowers and diamonds to lumps of lead, nod to the Nazis and Norse myth, to Kabbalah and the Egyptian gods, to philosophy and poetry, and to alchemy and the spirit of materials.

The Guardian - Arts

There were historic paintings everywhere, ancient-looking wooden-shafted clubs, bizarre old putters (whose club heads ranged from elegant ellipses to lumps of lead) and a host of primitive golf balls, including my favorite, which sported a parachute.

Forbes

My parents were sleeping under the stairs and my sister and I were in a windowless corridor, which was just as well because the next morning when I went up to my own bedroom there was a great tangled lump of window lead and glass on the bed".

The Guardian

They are lumps of metal that fire hot fragments of lead at lethal velocities in order to crack bone, explode soft tissues and end life.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "lump of lead" figuratively, ensure the context clearly conveys the intended meaning of heaviness, burden, or worthlessness.

Common error

Avoid using "lump of lead" in contexts where the reader might interpret it literally, especially if the figurative meaning is not immediately apparent. Clarify the intended meaning with additional context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lump of lead" primarily functions as a noun phrase, often serving as a subject or object within a sentence. Based on the examples from Ludwig, it can also function adjectivally to describe something heavy or burdensome.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Lifestyle

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lump of lead" is a noun phrase primarily used to describe a physical object or, metaphorically, something heavy or worthless. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and suitable for use in written English. While not overly common, it appears in various contexts, particularly in news and media. When using it figuratively, ensure the context clarifies the intended meaning to avoid misinterpretation. Alternatives like ""heavy weight"" or ""leaden burden"" can emphasize the heaviness aspect, while "worthless object" can highlight its lack of value.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pile of lead

Replaces 'lump' with 'pile', suggesting a larger quantity or less defined form.

ball of lead

Substitutes 'lump' with 'ball', implying a spherical shape of lead.

mass of lead

Uses 'mass' instead of 'lump', emphasizing the weight and density of the lead.

piece of lead

Replaces 'lump' with 'piece', indicating a fragment or portion of lead.

block of lead

Substitutes 'lump' with 'block', suggesting a more regular, solid form.

heavy leaden weight

Emphasizes the weight attribute of lead.

leaden mass

Inverts the structure and uses 'leaden' as an adjective to describe 'mass'.

dense piece of lead

Highlights the density of lead, replacing 'lump' with 'piece'.

heavy fragment of lead

Replaces 'lump' with 'fragment', emphasizing the broken or incomplete nature of the lead.

solid leaden form

Focuses on the solid state of lead using 'leaden' as an adjective and replacing 'lump' with 'form'.

FAQs

How can "lump of lead" be used figuratively?

Figuratively, "lump of lead" can describe something heavy, burdensome, or worthless. For instance, you might say, "His bad decisions became a lump of lead around his neck."

What are some synonyms for "lump of lead" emphasizing its weight?

To emphasize weight, consider using "heavy weight", "leaden burden", or "dense mass".

In what contexts is "lump of lead" an appropriate phrase?

"Lump of lead" is appropriate when describing a literal piece of lead or when used metaphorically to describe something that feels heavy or is considered worthless.

What's the difference between "lump of lead" and "piece of lead"?

While both refer to lead, "lump of lead" implies a shapeless, unrefined mass, whereas "piece of lead" is more general and can refer to any fragment or portion of lead, regardless of shape.