lightning rod

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ˈlight•ning ˌrod, n. [countable]

1. Electricity a metal rod that conducts electricity, installed to attract lightning away from a structure by providing a direct path to the ground.
2. a person or thing that attracts negative feelings, opinions, etc., thereby keeping them from other targets.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

light′ning rod′, 

1. Electricity 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, American.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lightning conductor, lightning rod noun

1. a metal strip terminating in a series of sharp points, attached to the highest part of a building, etc, to discharge the electric field before it can reach a dangerous level and cause a lightning strike