Red herring

Meaning

A misleading clue or distraction.

Usage

Used in debates or investigations when discussing distractions.

Origin & History

Origins and dates here are approximate summaries. Many idioms have disputed or unknown origins, and not every date has been checked against a historical dictionary, so treat specific dates and stories as a starting point rather than a citation.

Often explained by smoked fish used to train or distract hounds, a story from an 1807 anecdote by William Cobbett that is not well supported.

The figurative sense is recorded from the 19th century.