ChatterBank1 min ago
red herring
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where does the phrase 'red herring' originate from and what does it mean
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.The phrase "drawing a red herring across the path" means trying to divert attention from the main question by some side issue. A red herring (i.e. one dired, smoked and salted) drawn across a fox's path destroys the scent and sets the hounds at fault.
From Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. No reference to origin in this dictionary.