World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionariesheißes Eisen
Pronunciation / Transliteration: haɪ̯səs ˈaɪ̯zn̩
"Die Rentenreform ist das heiße Eisen der aktuellen Politik."
Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
An issue, subject, or policy that is so controversial or sensitive that any politician or group who attempts to address it risks severe political damage or career ruin.
"Reforming social security is often considered the third rail of American politics." - 2
An additional conductor rail placed alongside or between the rails of an electric railway to supply electric power to the trains.
"The maintenance crew had to ensure the power was cut off before working near the third rail."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the literal third rail used on some electric railways to supply electrical power, which is extremely dangerous to touch. This physical sense was first used in the late 19th century. By the late 20th century, the term underwent a metaphorical shift in American political discourse to describe any policy or topic so politically volatile that touching it is considered disastrous for a politician.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Third-rail"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Third-rail" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
sujet tabou
Transliteration: syʒɛ tabu
"Réformer les retraites est le troisième rail de la politique française."
heißes Eisen
Transliteration: haɪ̯səs ˈaɪ̯zn̩
"Die Rentenreform ist das heiße Eisen der aktuellen Politik."
argomento tabù
Transliteration: arɡoˈmento taˈbu
"Le riforme fiscali sono il terzo binario della politica."
tercer riel
Transliteration: teɾˈseɾ ˈrjel
"Las pensiones son el tercer riel de la política económica."
assunto proibido
Transliteration: aˈsũtu pɾwiˈbidu
"Tocar na previdência social é considerado o terceiro trilho da política."
विवादित विषय
Transliteration: vivadit vishay
"पेंशन सुधार भारतीय राजनीति का एक बहुत संवेदनशील विषय है।"
敏感话题
Transliteration: mǐngǎn huàtí
"税收改革一直是政治上的敏感话题。"
금기시되는 주제
Transliteration: geumgisidoeneun juje
"연금 개혁은 정치권에서 건드리기 힘든 민감한 주제이다."
アンタッチャブルな問題
Transliteration: antatchaburuna mondai
"年金改革は政治家にとって触れてはならない問題である。"
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Explore Nuanced Synonyms for "Third-rail"
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