put up a smoke screen
put up a smoke screen
To create a diversion or otherwise draw attention away from someone or something. Look, we need to put up a smoke screen so that the committee stops investigating the funds we embezzled. As soon as my mother starts prying into my dating life, I put up a smoke screen by asking my grandfather about his favorite fishing spots—a topic he could talk about for hours. Works every time!
See also: put, screen, smoke, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- drain away
- pull all the stops out
- pull out all the stops
- pull out all the stops, to
- a swan song
- swan song
- smoke (someone or something) out of (some place)
- smoke out of
- taken with, be
- be taken with (someone or something)