What does ‘a red herring’ mean?
To “a red herring” means to a misleading clue meant to distract from the truth. Brewer's explains the phrase from an old practice of drawing a strong-smelling smoked herring across a trail to test or throw off hounds; hence any false scent laid to divert attention.
Origin
- Brewer's explains the phrase from an old practice of drawing a strong-smelling smoked herring across a trail to test or throw off hounds; hence any false scent laid to divert attention.
How to use it
- Common in detective stories, debate, and political spin.
- Example: The email address was a red herring — the real evidence was elsewhere.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.