smokescreen
a plan or action that conceals someone's real intentions
TRANSLATION
smokescreen (fig.) = der Deckmantel smokescreen = der Rauchvorhang --- GOOGLE INDEX smokescreen: approximately 1,600,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
This is a desperate SMOKESCREEN to disguise the opposition's complete failure to come up with any serious economic policies.
(The Guardian Online)
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Conservatives criticise energy tax SMOKESCREEN
(headline from BBC News)
(The Guardian Online)
---
Conservatives criticise energy tax SMOKESCREEN
(headline from BBC News)
Did you
know?
smokescreen (also smoke screen)
noun
- (fig.) an action or statement used to conceal actual plans or intentions
- a mass of dense artificial smoke used to conceal military areas or operations from an enemy
(American Heritage Dictionary)
---
A smokescreen (a screen is something that protects, divides or conceals) is a release of smoke that hides the movement or location of military units such as infantry, tanks, aircraft or ships. It is most commonly deployed in a canister, usually as a grenade, which releases a very dense cloud of smoke.
In a figurative sense, a smokescreen conceals someone's real intentions or serves to distract from the actual issue at hand. Since smoke is difficult, if not impossible, to see through, it has long been associated with deception and hiding the truth as these other idioms show:
- smoke and mirrors = deception and confusion. This is said of statements or more complicated rhetoric used to mislead people rather than inform. It refers to the way a magician uses optical illusion to create believability while performing a trick (Everyone knows he was just using smoke and mirrors to make things seem like they were okay).
- blow smoke = to deceive others (He wanted everyone to believe he had a lot of experience, but I think he was just blowing smoke.)
- where there's smoke, there's fire = a proverb that means there is usually some truth hidden behind every rumour (He claims it was not his fault, but you know what they say; where there's smoke, there's fire.)
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SYNONYMS
cloak, cover, front, guise, masquerade, red herring
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SMUGGLE OWAD INTO TODAY'S CONVERSATION:
"Their refusing our offer may just be a smokescreen to make us lower our price."
noun
- (fig.) an action or statement used to conceal actual plans or intentions
- a mass of dense artificial smoke used to conceal military areas or operations from an enemy
(American Heritage Dictionary)
---
A smokescreen (a screen is something that protects, divides or conceals) is a release of smoke that hides the movement or location of military units such as infantry, tanks, aircraft or ships. It is most commonly deployed in a canister, usually as a grenade, which releases a very dense cloud of smoke.
In a figurative sense, a smokescreen conceals someone's real intentions or serves to distract from the actual issue at hand. Since smoke is difficult, if not impossible, to see through, it has long been associated with deception and hiding the truth as these other idioms show:
- smoke and mirrors = deception and confusion. This is said of statements or more complicated rhetoric used to mislead people rather than inform. It refers to the way a magician uses optical illusion to create believability while performing a trick (Everyone knows he was just using smoke and mirrors to make things seem like they were okay).
- blow smoke = to deceive others (He wanted everyone to believe he had a lot of experience, but I think he was just blowing smoke.)
- where there's smoke, there's fire = a proverb that means there is usually some truth hidden behind every rumour (He claims it was not his fault, but you know what they say; where there's smoke, there's fire.)
---
SYNONYMS
cloak, cover, front, guise, masquerade, red herring
---
SMUGGLE OWAD INTO TODAY'S CONVERSATION:
"Their refusing our offer may just be a smokescreen to make us lower our price."
