red herring
Looks like
A red-colored fish?
Actually
Something that pulls your attention away from what really matters, like a false clue.
Origin
A red herring is a smoked fish with a strong smell. In 1807, writer William Cobbett claimed he'd used one to lure hunting dogs off a trail, which likely gave us the phrase.
Examples
- The butler was a red herring — the neighbor did it the whole time.
- Stop bringing up my grades from last year; that's a red herring and you know it.
- I bet this show will throw in a few more red herrings before the finale.