What is the meaning of red herring?

noun

  • Any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue.
  • A dried and smoked herring having a reddish color.
  • A first draft of a prospectus; must be clearly marked to indicate that parts may be changed in the final prospectus.
    • usage: "because some portions of the cover page are printed in red ink a preliminary prospectus is sometimes called a red herring"
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APAWordNet. (2010). red herring. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/red_herring/definitions/1190115
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "red herring" http://smartdefine.org/red_herring/definitions/1190115 (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, red herring, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/red_herring/definitions/1190115>.
MLAWordNet. "red herring" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/red_herring/definitions/1190115>
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