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- DictionarySmoke and mirrors
- ▪ the obscuring or embellishing of the truth of a situation with misleading or irrelevant information
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Jul 5, 2024 · The meaning of SMOKE AND MIRRORS is something intended to disguise or draw attention away from an often embarrassing or unpleasant issue —usually hyphenated when used attributively. How to use smoke and mirrors in a sentence.
Nov 6, 2023 · What does "smoke and mirrors" mean? "Smoke and mirrors" is a common idiom that means something is not what it seems, or someone is trying to deceive or mislead you with false or exaggerated claims. It is often used to criticize or expose someone's dishonesty or trickery, especially in politics, business, or entertainment.
Something that is described as smoke and mirrors is intended to make you believe that something is being done or is true, when it is not: The new budget isn't smoke and mirrors; it's an honest attempt to reduce the deficit. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.
Trickery or deception, often in a political context. What's the origin of the phrase 'Smoke and mirrors'? This expression alludes to the performances of stage conjurers who use actual smoke and mirrors to deceive the audience.
Smoke and mirrors is a classic technique in magical illusions that makes an entity appear to hover in empty space. It was documented as early as 1770 and spread widely after its use by the charlatan Johann Georg Schröpfer, who claimed to conjure spirits.
Smoke and mirrors are words and actions that are intended to deceive or confuse people, especially by making something seem better than it really is. The president claims that his economic plan is free of the smoke and mirrors of previous presidential budget proposals.
an explanation or description that is not true or not complete and is used to hide the truth about a situation: Even allowing for the smoke and mirrors, offers such as half-price cornflakes and 40% off washing powder look serious. (Definition of smoke and mirrors from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
Apr 12, 2017 · The phrase smoke and mirrors means irrelevant or misleading information serving to obscure the truth of a situation.
The idiom smoke and mirrors describe situations where the truth is obscured, intentionally or inadvertently. Instead of a clear view, you encounter mystification. Imagine a funhouse of mirrors or a showy magic trick with a smoke machine hiding all the flaws of the performer.
Smoke and mirrors is a metaphor for a showy way of obscuring the true facts of a situation, a strategy of deception and cover-up. The expression is American from c. 1980 deriving from the obvious allusion to theatrical conjuring tricks.
