red lead
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Tomato ketchup.
Register: dated, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Saturday/Wednesday morning breakfast beans were accompanied by corn bread and bowls of "red lead" [catsup for you landlubbers].
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “red lead” mean?
Tomato ketchup.
Is “red lead” formal or informal?
red lead is generally dated, slang.