red herring

• Un leurre ou un indice trompeur qui détourne l'attention du vrai problème ou du sujet principal, souvent utilisé dans les débats, les romans policiers ou les récits.

A logical fallacy or misleading clue that distracts attention from the real issue or argument, often used in debates, mysteries, or storytelling.

1. Misleading clueB2formal

   A piece of information or a clue that is intentionally misleading or distracting from the real issue.

   Fausse piste

   • The detective realized the note was a red herring to throw him off the trail.
   • In the debate, he introduced a red herring to avoid answering the question.
   • The author used a red herring to keep readers guessing the killer's identity.