What is "lightning rod"

Lightning \Light"ning\ (l[imac]t"n[i^]ng), n. [For lightening, fr. lighten to flash.]

1. A discharge of atmospheric electricity, accompanied by a vivid flash of light, commonly from one cloud to another, sometimes from a cloud to the earth. The sound produced by the electricity in passing rapidly through the atmosphere constitutes thunder.

2. The act of making bright, or the state of being made bright; enlightenment; brightening, as of the mental powers. [R.]

   Ball lightning, a rare form of lightning sometimes seen as a globe of fire moving from the clouds to the earth.

   Chain lightning, lightning in angular, zigzag, or forked flashes.

   Heat lightning, more or less vivid and extensive flashes of electric light, without thunder, seen near the horizon, esp. at the close of a hot day.

   Lightning arrester (Telegraphy), a device, at the place where a wire enters a building, for preventing injury by lightning to an operator or instrument. It consists of a short circuit to the ground interrupted by a thin nonconductor over which lightning jumps. Called also lightning discharger.

   Lightning bug (Zo["o]l.), a luminous beetle. See Firefly.

   Lightning conductor, a lightning rod.

   Lightning glance, a quick, penetrating glance of a brilliant eye.

   Lightning rod, a metallic rod set up on a building, or on the mast of a vessel, and connected with the earth or water below, for the purpose of protecting the building or vessel from lightning.

   Sheet lightning, a diffused glow of electric light flashing out from the clouds, and illumining their outlines. The appearance is sometimes due to the reflection of light from distant flashes of lightning by the nearer clouds.

n. 1 A metallic conductor that is attached to a high point of a building and leads to the ground and protects the building from damage by lightning 2 (context figuratively English) A person or thing that is a target for negative reactions and distracts criticism from another target.

1. n. someone who is a frequent target of negative reactions and serves to distract attention from another

2. a metallic conductor that is attached to a high point and leads to the ground; protects the building from destruction by lightning [syn: lightning conductor]

A lightning rod ( US, AUS) or lightning conductor ( UK) is a metal rod or metallic object mounted on top of an elevated structure, such as a building, a ship, or even a tree, electrically bonded using a wire or electrical conductor to interface with ground or "earth" through an electrode, engineered to protect the structure in the event of lightning strike. If lightning hits the structure, it will preferentially strike the rod and be conducted to ground through the wire, instead of passing through the structure, where it could start a fire or cause electrocution. Lightning rods are also called finials, air terminals or strike termination devices.

In a lightning protection system, a lightning rod is a single component of the system. The lightning rod requires a connection to earth to perform its protective function. Lightning rods come in many different forms, including hollow, solid, pointed, rounded, flat strips or even bristle brush-like. The main attribute common to all lightning rods is that they are all made of conductive materials, such as copper and aluminum. Copper and its alloys are the most common materials used in lightning protection.

Lightning Rod is a wooden roller coaster at Dollywood. Marketed as the world's first launched wooden roller coaster, the ride, themed to hot rod cars from the 1950s, was designed by Rocky Mountain Construction and was originally planned to open with the park in March 2016. A problem with the ride's unique launch system forced a delay of the opening until June 13, 2016. A week later, a recalled part by the manufacturer forced a temporary closure that soon thereafter lifted.