Red herring

Definitions

• distract from the real issue
  Intentionally misleading or distracting information or clue that leads people away from the actual problem or topic at hand

• irrelevant
  Something that is not related to the main topic of discussion, often used to divert attention

Examples of Red herring

• Detective James was chasing a lead in the murder case, but the witness's statement turned out to be a red herring. He realized that the witness's description of the suspect didn't match the real killer's appearance, leading James on a wild goose chase.

  "Red herring" refers to a false clue or distraction that misleads the investigation. In this example, the witness provided a misleading detail about the suspect's appearance, causing Detective James to waste time and resources chasing a irrelevant lead. It's called a red herring because the old training technique involved dragging a herring through the streets to distract and agitate hunting dogs. Similarly, a red herring in an investigation leads investigators away from the true trail.

• The accusations leveled against the politician were clearly a red herring, intended to distract the public from her actual wrongdoings. The media was more interested in sensationalizing the irrelevant issue than exploring the more serious allegations against her.

  In this example, the accusation was a false, misleading issue meant to divert attention away from the real problem. Just as a red herring in hunting distracts dogs from the target, these false accusations distract the public from the politician's actual misdeeds.

• The suspects all denied any involvement in the heist, but the evidence pointed to one of them as the culprit. The others' alibis were red herrings, meant to throw off the investigation.

  "Red herring" can also refer to a false alibi or excuse presented by a suspect. In this example, the other suspects presented false or misleading alibis as a distraction, hoping to throw off the investigation and shield the real culprit. As with a red herring in hunting, the false lead misdirects the investigation from the true target.

• The police interviewed multiple witnesses, but each statement turned out to be a red herring. They couldn't find a single witness who saw the perpetrator or remembered anything useful about the crime.

  "Red herring" can also refer to a series of false leads. In this example, the witnesses provided false or misleading information, leading the police down a fruitless line of inquiry. As with a red herring in hunting, these false leads ultimately lead to a dead end, wasting valuable time and resources in the investigation.

• The detectives followed the suspect's car for hours, but it turned out to be a red herring as he dropped it off at a friend's house and took public transportation to the crime scene.

  In this context, "red herring" is used to describe something that initially appeared to be significant or relevant, but ultimately led investigators in the wrong direction. This idiom comes from the practice of training hunting dogs by dragging a smoked herring across the ground as a distraction, which can lead the dog to lose interest in the target scent.

• The witnesses claimed to have seen a masked figure fleeing the scene, but it was later revealed to be a red herring as the CCTV footage showed that they had mistaken the shadow of a passing tree branch for a person.

  Here, "red herring" is used to describe a false lead or misleading clue that was presented as evidence, but turned out to be untrue. The phrase originated from the use of smoked herring as a decoy to confuse hounds during hunting.

• The politician's accusations against his rival were dismissed as a red herring as they had no bearing on the central issues of the campaign and were intended to deflect attention from his own shortcomings.

  In this example, "red herring" is used to describe a diversionary tactic that is intended to shift the focus away from a more important issue. The expression alludes to the use of smoked herrings as a hunting decoy.

• The prosecutor's relentless cross-examination of the witness seemed designed to create a red herring as it failed to produce any new evidence and served only to confuse the jurors.

  Here, "red herring" is employed to describe a frivolous or irrelevant line of questioning that is carried out as a deliberate tactic to mislead or distract the jury. The phrase is derived from the training of hunting dogs with smoked herrings.

Conclusion

The idiom "red herring" is used to describe something that is meant to mislead or distract from the real issue at hand. It can also refer to something that is irrelevant to the main topic of discussion, serving as a diversion. In both cases, the intention is to steer attention away from the important matter or to create confusion.

People use this idiom to highlight situations where misleading information is intentionally presented or when irrelevant details are brought up to distract from the main point. It is often used in discussions about politics, debates, and investigations, where there is a risk of being misled or sidetracked.

Origin of "Red herring"

The origin of the idiom "red herring" can be traced back to the practice of using smoked herring fish to train hunting dogs. Trainers would drag a red herring (a strong-smelling fish) across the trail of the animal they wanted the dogs to follow, in order to test their ability to stay on track and not be distracted by other scents. This practice eventually led to the figurative use of "red herring" to describe something that diverts attention.

The idiom became popular in the early 19th century, particularly in the context of political debates and literary works, where the concept of misleading or distracting information was frequently discussed. Over time, it has become a widely recognized expression in the English language, used to caution against being misled or diverted from the truth.