I resist terrible threats to kidnap Oscar (8)

I believe the answer is:

rheostat

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'i resist' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.

'terrible threats to kidnap oscar' is the wordplay.
'terrible' indicates anagramming the letters.
'to kidnap' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters are kidnapped or taken).
'oscar' becomes 'O' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'threats' anagrammed gives 'rhestat'.
'rhestat' enclosing 'o' is 'RHEOSTAT'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for rheostat that I've seen before include "Means of controlling resistance" , "Electrical controller" , "Current regulator" , "Variable resistor" , "Resistor for regulating current" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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