escape valve

English

Noun

escape valve (plural escape valves)

1. A valve on a boiler to let the steam escape.
2. (figurative) Any psychological mechanism to relieve stress.
   • 2018, Peter Beattie, Social Evolution, Political Psychology, and the Media in Democracy, page 148:

     Lastly, self-affirmation provides us an escape valve if we come face to face with the intrinsic evil of our actions and role within a group.

Translations

A valve on a boiler so as to let the steam escape

• Bulgarian: изпускателен клапан m (izpuskatelen klapan)
• Spanish: válvula de escape f