third rail

• تعبير مجازي يشير إلى موضوع خطر أو خلافي يُفضل تجنبه في النقاش، وهو مستعار من السكة الكهربائية التي تغذي قطارات المترو. ويُستخدم أيضًا استخدامًا حرفيًا للإشارة إلى السكة الكهربائية في نظام السكك الحديدية.

A term referring to a dangerous or controversial issue that is best avoided in discussion, derived from the electrified rail used to power subway trains. It can also literally refer to the electrified rail in a railway system.

1. B2formal

   A metal rail that supplies electricity to trains, typically found in subway or electric railway systems.

   السكة الثالثة

   • The train draws power from the third rail.
   • Workers are repairing the third rail on the subway line.
   • Touching the third rail can be extremely dangerous.

2. Taboo or sensitive topicC1informalamerican

   A subject or issue that is considered too controversial or risky to discuss openly, especially in politics.

   موضوع محظور أو حساس

   • Tax reform is often called the third rail of American politics.
   • Mentioning that policy is like touching the third rail in this debate.
   • He avoided the topic entirely, knowing it was a political third rail.