A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

lead to something • lead up to something
lead to something —
1
. (of a road, etc.) provide a way for smb.
to reach a place: She hurried across the square to the street
which led to the bridge. 2. be the cause of smth.; result in
smth.: “Accident proneness” implies the possession of those
qualities which lead to an undue number of accidents.
lead up to something —
1
. (of a road, etc.) take smb. as far as
a place: From here you can follow a steep track that leads up
to the top of the hill. 2. come before an event: In the months
leading up to the great ceremony, many people took part in
the preparations. 3. prepare to introduce a subject: Be careful
how you lead up to mentioning a possible rise with your
employer.
leader of an orchestra (UK) • leader of an
 orchestra (U.S.)
leader of an orchestra (UK)—the senior violinist who acts as
an assistant to the conductor: Where does the leader of an or -
chestra normally sit — to the left or the right of the conductor?
leader of an orchestra (U.S.)—the conductor: People notice
the leader of an orchestra but often forget the importance of
the section heads.
leading man • man of light and leading
leading man —(also: main man)
1
. a person that guides,
directs, or leads: The leading man in charge of this search had
signaled his intention to resign. 2. an actor who plays the lead-
ing role: Mario was a character actor, but … he suddenly
became a leading man in numerous action pictures.
man of light and leading —(usually pl.) a person of intellec-
tual, moral, or spiritual authority: When a monarch visits the
Court of another nation, men of “light and leading” are usu-
ally invited as guests to meet him.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase Old Light men—(hist., also: Old Lights) religious tra-
ditionalists who believed the new religious movement (New
Lights) threatened established religion: There is thus a duality
of political outlook among the Presbyterians, with the tide
tending to run in favour of the Old Light men.