English noun: lightning rod | |||
1. | lightning rod (person) someone who is a frequent target of negative reactions and serves to distract attention from another | ||
Broader (hypernym) | individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul | ||
2. | lightning rod (artifact) a metallic conductor that is attached to a high point and leads to the ground; protects the building from destruction by lightning | ||
Synonyms | lightning conductor | ||
Broader (hypernym) | conductor | ||