LIGHTNING


Meaning of LIGHTNING in English

[noun] [U] - a flash of bright light in the sky which is produced by electricity moving between clouds or from clouds to the groundthunder and lightningThere was a flash of lightning and then a loud peal of thunder.That blackened tree was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm last week.I'll be as quick as lightning (= extremely quick).She changed her clothes with lightning speed (= extremely quickly).A (UK) lightning conductor/(US) lightning rod is a strip of metal going from the highest point of a building to the ground which prevents the lightning from damaging the building by taking the electricity to the ground before it can reach a dangerous level.(US) Someone who is a lightning rod attracts criticism or anger that should really be directed at someone else.Civil servants are often the lightning rods for criticism that should be directed at politicians.(UK and ANZ) A lightning strike (esp. US wildcat strike) is a sudden strike without the usual warning by the workers and often without the official support of the trade unions.(saying) 'Lightning never strikes twice in the same place'.

Cambridge English vocab.      Кембриджский английский словарь.