Dictionary

missing stair en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

Coined by blogger Cliff Pervocracy (a pseudonym) in 2012. In analogy to a stairway missing a step, with guests expected to overcome or bypass the obstacle rather than it being fixed.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic, neologism) A member of a community who is widely but privately known within that community for abusiveness or other harmful behavior that has not been addressed.
   • Many groups, whether they may be families, workplaces, organizations, or groups of friends will have what is sometimes called a “missing stair.” 2015, Julie Still, Managing Your Brand: Career Management and Personal PR for Librarians:
   • "Oh yeah, I almost forgot to tell you, there's a missing step on the unlit staircase with no railings. But it's okay because we all just remember to jump over it." Some people are like that missing stair. 2012 June 22, Cliff Pervocracy, “The missing stair.”, in The Pervocracy (blog), retrieved 21 Sep 2018:

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