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pull a houdini

You are out with your friends and one of them flakes out, leaves and doesn't tell anyone where they're going, they're gone for the rest of the night, and they dont answer their phone.
Has anyone seen her or did she pull a houdini?
by Dinkrolls August 7, 2007
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pull a Houdini

pull a Houdini (idiom)

• To perform an unexpected act of misdirection, typically involving drama or suspense, in order to divert attention.

• Often used to describe suddenly disappearing, escaping from an undesirable situation, or seizing control of a narrative.

Etymology: From the stage name of Harry Houdini (1874–1926), the famed magician and escape artist, celebrated as the “master of misdirection.”
During the heated debate, the politician tried to pull a Houdini by steering the conversation toward his opponent’s record, effectively dodging the original question.

She is known to pull a Houdini at parties—one moment she’ll be in the middle of the dance floor, and the next she’s vanished without anyone noticing.
by anonymous September 12, 2025
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