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Definition 2024


burying_the_lead

bury the lead

English

Alternative forms

Verb

bury the lead (third-person singular simple present buries the lead, present participle burying the lead, simple past and past participle buried the lead)

  1. (idiomatic) (news writing style) To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts.
    • 1977, "Don't bury the lead. This is similar to backing into the lead, except that the major element has been buried several paragraphs down"[1]
    • 2004, "Don't bury the lead in the body of your story. As a TV news viewer, I'm poised to change the channel"[2]

References

  1. William Metz, Newswriting: From Lead to "30" (ISBN 0136175147), p. 61
  2. Steve Garagiola, TV News: Writing and Surviving (ISBN 0595302041), p. 20