lightning rod

noun
/ˈlaɪtnɪŋ ˌɹɒd/

Definitions

  1. A metallic conductor that is attached to a high point of a building and leads to the…

    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.

  2. A person or thing that is a target for negative reactions and distracts criticism from…

    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.
    • Though hardly a novel claim nowadays[…] it made [Jean] Twenge a lightning rod in the research world, where some academics remain skeptical of the panic over smartphones.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for lightning rod. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA