lightning rod
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lightning rod
- /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ ˌɹɒd/
noun lightning rods · lightning-rod
-
A metallic conductor that is attached to a high point of a building and leads to the ground to protect the building from damage by lightning.
"My special business is to travel the country for orders for lightning-rods. This is my specimen rod;" tapping his staff; "I have the best of references"-fumbling in his pockets. "In Criggan last month, I put up three-and-twenty rods on only five buildings."
Similar: lightning conductor
- A person or thing that is a target for negative reactions and distracts criticism from another target. Another factor was that when the two governments changed Stormont’s rules in 2006 they left the dual premiership as the “lightning rod for other difficulties”, said [Brendan] O’Leary.
Translations
Every language
noun metallic conductor that protects from lightning
| Español | pararrayos, pararrayo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 피뢰침 piroechim |
| 日本語 | 避雷針 hiraishin |
| हिन्दी | तड़ित चालक taṛit cālak |
| Português | para-raios |
| Français | paratonnerre |
| Deutsch | Blitzableiter |
| Italiano | parafulmine |
| Ελληνικά | αλεξικέραυνο alexikéravno |
| Română | paratrăsnet |
| Русский | громоотво́д gromootvód, молниеотво́д molnijeotvód |
| Tiếng Việt | cột thu lôi |
| العربية | مَانِعَة صَوَاعِق |
noun metaphorically: person or thing that distracts criticism from another target
| 中文 | 颱風尾 /台风尾 |
|---|---|
| Ελληνικά | κεραυνός keravnós |
| Русский | стре́лочник stréločnik, козёл отпуще́ния kozjól otpuščénija |
Talk about this word "lightning rod." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/lightning%20rod. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. lightning rod. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/lightning%20rod "lightning rod." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/lightning%20rod.Cite this
@misc{lightning_rod_2026,
title = {lightning rod},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/lightning%20rod},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
