bum steer

a bum steer

Poor, inaccurate, or misleading information or advice. My advisor really gave me a bum steer when she pushed me to take this class that I'm currently failing. I did my own research to confirm that my doctor wasn't giving me a bum steer when she suggested this procedure.
See also: bum, steer
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

*bum steer

misleading instructions or guidance; a misleading suggestion. (Bum = false; phony. Steer = guidance, as in the steering of a car. *Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) Wilbur gave Ted a bum steer and Ted ended up in the wrong town. I got a bum steer from the salesman, and I paid far more than I needed to for a used car.
See also: bum, steer
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

bum steer

False or misleading information; poor advice. For example, Gene felt his doctor had given him a bum steer, as he hadn't lost any weight on the diet . [Slang; c. 1920]
See also: bum, steer
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

bum steer

a piece of false information or guidance. informal, chiefly North American
In this context, bum means ‘bad, worthless’, and steer ‘advice’ or ‘guidance’ (it has no connection with young bulls).
See also: bum, steer
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

bum steer

(ˈbəm ˈstir)
n. a false lead; false information. You sure gave me a bum steer when you told me who he was.
See also: bum, steer
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

bum steer

Bad advice. This slangy term uses bum in the sense of incorrect or erroneous, a usage dating from the 1890s or earlier. Former New York governor Mario Cuomo in his 1968 book, Thieves, wrote, “I guess I gave you a bum steer on him.”
See also: bum, steer
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

bum steer

Misleading advice. This phrase has nothing to do with a tough piece of steak. “Bum” signifies “wrong” and “steer” means “direction” in the sense of steering a vehicle. So if someone has given you a bum steer, you have in a sense grounds for a beef.
See also: bum, steer
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • a bum steer
  • steer
  • give (one) a bum steer
  • don't believe everything you read
  • bum
  • bum something
  • bummed
  • wrote
  • paper never refused ink
  • bum (something)
References in periodicals archive
Anything would be better than the bum steer we have now.
Free the trains of political delays; LETTERS
Others say that Microsoft gave a bum steer to rival ISVs, telling them to focus on OS/2 while all the time knowing that the real push would be towards Windows.
Microsoft Office 2010 is unlikely to excite CIOs
Actually they don't, but this time it seems they were fed a bum steer by a journalist who could at best be described as "enthusiastic".
Destruction the game at Bluebirds
"We've gotten seven or eight accountants and CPAs from Executive Recruiters and have never gotten a bum steer."
Benefits of recruiting at work
MY aplologies for a bum steer. Last week I took The Golf Channel at their word, when advising readers to watch their "in-depth and intelligent" programme on American women's golf.
Chip shots
While there weren't exactly concerns that Worcester had been landed with a bum steer, it was clear that the Australian was not the same player as the one whose first appearance on the Premiership's newest ground had caused such excitement.
RUGBY UNION: Drahm upturn excites Sixways; THE PREMIERSHIP
'It may just be that officials have given her this steer to get her off the hook a bit, and I think they have given her a bum steer, because it is not the case that giving power to the Welsh Children's Commissioner will further devolution.
Government leaves Wales on the margins
One reason why earlier research may have given physicians a bum steer on the diet/ADHD connection is that foods now considered to be a concern were not eliminated in the earlier diets tested: milk, chocolate, wheat, rye, corn, citrus, legumes and eggs.
Controlling kids: are diet and toxic substances linked to attention deficit disorder? (Your Health)
However, with apparent contempt for Pleat's comments, Hoddle told The Sun: "If someone wants to give you a bum steer, then so be it.
FOOTBALL: Tangerines dream!; Gunnar sets his sights on new deal
TOP DJ Brandon Block was given a bum steer when he fell for an April Fools' gag which called on clubgoers to drop EVERYTHING for an exciting new Midland dance night.
The naked truth
Or maybe you're just into fascinating farm facts - whatever your interest, rest assured: Denver's stock show won't give you a bum steer.
Denver takes stock
Childhood is seen as a time when things might go awry, when the "investment" turns out to be a bum steer. The Clintonite passion for talking about children as "investments" tells us the whole story.
Hillary's investments
In an appeal hours before "Bum Steer" was to go on the air, CBS got permission from Blackmun to use disputed videotape; the show went on as planned on February 9.
Going too far with the hidden camera?
Whoever it was gave him a bum steer. He touts his hosts, Bill and Gina Gapolinsky, as if they were representative of a wider apathy in Sherman Park and across the country.
History in Sherman Park: an American family and the Reagan-Mondale election
Brown could've been forgiven for giving it a bum steer when asked if he'd sign a framed picture of the Kent slug that was being put up for charity.
I was happy to hit the canvas after taking this punch; Hoops hardman Brown showed softer side by signing painting of his Old Firm KO for charity