LIGHTNING ROD


Meaning of LIGHTNING ROD in English

1. a rodlike conductor installed to divert lightning away from a structure by providing a direct path to the ground.

2. a person or thing that attracts and absorbs powerful and esp. negative or hostile feelings, opinions, etc., thereby diverting such feelings from other targets: The unpopular supervisor served as a lightning rod for the criticism that should have been aimed at management.

[ 1780-90, Amer. ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .