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red herring 

In novels, usually mystery novels, a "red herring" is an extraneous character meant to divert the reader's attention from the true killer/robber/etc. It is usually a logical choice for the culprit, but ends up being nothing.
I thought Hampton was the killer, but he was a total red herring. It was Muldoon.
red herring by Clinto September 22, 2005

red herring 

Red herrings were often used by jail birds to mislead hound dogs that were tracking them.

The expression "red herring" refers to something that is misleading.
His wedding ring is a red herring, he is definately gay.
red herring by F B September 11, 2007

red herring 

Herrings put into a tub with salt or brine, later spitted on sharp wooden spits, and hung up in a chimney to be smoked and dried. Such preserved fish would keep for months (and indeed they were transported in barrels to provide protein on long sea voyages) but were inedible in this state and needed to be soaked to soften them and remove the salt before they could be cooked.

Do I smell a rat?

One key characteristic of red herrings, apart from their colour, was their strong smell, so much so that one use for them on occasion was to train hounds to follow a scent.

a deliberately misleading object
Neither fish nor flesh, nor good red herring
red herring by Andreas Wb May 10, 2005

red herring 

technique used by politicians, often conservatives, to distract voters' attention away from real and true issues that need immediate address.
Reporter: "President Bush, we have had more casualties in Iraq this month than in any other month."

President Bush: "Casualties, man gay people want to get married!"

Commentator: "Wow, did you see that red herring Bush just threw out there? Amazing stuff folks!"
red herring by sickmaker April 12, 2008

red herring 

you cum in a girls eyes then you hit her in the nose with a rowing oar. causing her nose to bleed everywhere and flop around like a fish.


Side effects: broken nose, blindness, and/or death
In the Red Herring, Seth cummed in the girl's eyes while brian hit her with a rowing oar, resulting in an emergency room trip for the girl and tons of laughter for seth and brian.

Red Herring 

- A stinky or pungent vagina.

Origin:
The red comes from the color of it, and the herring is because it smells like fish.
Hey, I heard that Will's sister has a red herring!

I was with my girlfriend last night, but I had to leave, because I discovered her red herring.
Red Herring by nung51 June 19, 2012