The phrase "to lead to" means that something is likely to happen or result in a particular outcome. It can be used as an expression of cause and effect, indicating that one event will cause another event to occur. For example, if it rains heavily outside, we might say "the rain will lead to flooding." This phrase suggests that the heavy rain will cause floods because water has accumulated on the ground or in rivers and streams. In summary, this phrase is used to express a relationship between two events where one event causes another event to happen.