red herring
Other forms: red herrings
If you're a seasoned debater, you know to pounce when your opponent uses a red herring — a distracting side topic meant to divert attention from the main issue under consideration.
You might also hear this word used in the context of literature or film: a red herring in crime fiction is the conspicuous clue or suspicious character simply there to mislead you from working out who the real villain is. The sense of red herring as a deliberate distraction actually comes from the literal sense — the fish, which turns red when smoked. Red herring was used in training hounds, to identify the dogs who could detect a scent without being distracted by the stinky fish.
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any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issuetype of:deflection, deflexion, deviation, digression, divagation, diversiona turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)
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a dried and smoked herring having a reddish colorsynonyms: smoked herringtype of:herringvaluable flesh of fatty fish from shallow waters of northern Atlantic or Pacific; usually salted or pickled
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a first draft of a prospectus; must be clearly marked to indicate that parts may be changed in the final prospectussynonyms: preliminary prospectustype of:course catalog, course catalogue, prospectusa catalog listing the courses offered by a college or university
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Vocabulary lists containing red herring
This list focuses on idioms and expressions that relate to animals.
In September, 1952, Richard Nixon, a young senator from California, was nominated to run for Vice President. Days later, however, he was accused of accepting funds from campaign donors to use for personal expenses. Nixon chose to use the new medium of television to defend himself. In a televised speech, he admitted to receiving one gift — a cocker spaniel named Checkers. He explained that his two young daughters loved the dog and would not give it up. The speech was a tremendous success, and Nixon went on to serve two terms as Vice President. Ironically, another television performance, a debate with John Kennedy in 1960, cost him the election that year. Nixon was elected President in 1968, but ultimately resigned in the wake of the Watergate scandal.