[blow] smoke
1
to try to deceive a person by doing or saying something that misleads or confuses them
The idiom "blow smoke" originated from the literal act of blowing smoke into someone's face to deceive or confuse them. This practice, often associated with stage magicians, created an illusion or diversion that allowed the performer to execute a trick or escape unnoticed. Over time, the expression evolved into a metaphorical sense. It is now used to refer to the act of making false statements, exaggerations, or empty promises to mislead or confuse others.
- The politician was known to blow smoke about his achievements, but there was little substance behind his claims.
- Don't be fooled by his confident demeanor; he's just blowing smoke to cover up his lack of knowledge on the topic.
- The salesperson tried to blow smoke about the product's miraculous benefits, but the customers were skeptical and sought more information.
- When confronted about the discrepancies in his story, the suspect continued to blow smoke, making it difficult for investigators to uncover the truth.
- The manager realized that the employee was blowing smoke during the presentation when asked for concrete evidence to support the proposed strategy.