red herring

noun

Definition of red herring

1 : a herring cured by salting and slow smoking to a dark brown color

2 [ from the practice of drawing a red herring across a trail to confuse hunting dogs ] : something that distracts attention from the real issue

Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about red herring

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Did You Know?

Believe it or not, red herring has as much to do with hunting dogs as with brightly colored fish. Here's how: A herring is a soft-finned bony fish. People who like to eat herring have long preserved them by salting and slowly smoking them. That process makes a herring turn red or dark brown - and gives them a very strong smell. Dogs love to sniff such smelly treats, a fact that makes the fish a perfect diversion for anyone trying to distract hunting dogs from the trail of their quarry. The practice of using preserved fish to confuse hunting dogs led to the use of the term red herring for anything that diverts attention from the issue at hand.

Examples of red herring in a Sentence

The argument is a red herring. It actually has nothing to do with the issue. The plot of the mystery was full of red herrings.

Recent Examples on the Web

Could Rey carrying the red, two-sided lightsaber be a red herring? — Eliana Dockterman, Time, "Will Rey Turn to the Dark Side in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker?," 24 Aug. 2019 The Sharon Tate/Manson thing was almost a red herring. — Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, "Maya Hawke on Her Dreamy New Folk Songs and Her Breakout Summer," 16 Aug. 2019 There are also too many moments that fail to ring true, including those over-explanatory phone messages and an incident in which the children are terrified by the sound of pounding on the front door that turns out to be a red herring. — Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Make Believe': Theater Review," 16 Aug. 2019 Yet renewable gas appears to be a red herring at this point in time. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, "Column: SoCal Gas accused of setting up an ‘astro-turf’ group to plead its case to regulators," 8 Aug. 2019 Who killed Bryce Walker: Not falling for the red herrings with Clay! — Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, "13 Reasons Why season 3 binge recap," 23 Aug. 2019 Veronica’s interactions with her father, friends, and frenemies provide a breather for her and the audience in between multiple suspects that sometimes become red herrings and, worse, deaths. — Ariana Brockington, refinery29.com, "Real Talk: Did That Tragic Veronica Mars Twist Really Need To Happen?," 25 July 2019 The privacy debate is a red herring, suggests Alfred Lin, partner at Sequoia Capital. — Fortune, "A.I. Uses Expected to Expand as U.S. Consumers Warm Up to Trading Data for Convenience," 16 July 2019 From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death. — Julia Alexander, The Verge, "The first trailer for Rian Johnson’s Knives Out is a wild take on whodunits," 2 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'red herring.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for red herring

red herring

noun

Financial Definition of red herring

What It Is

A red herring is a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by a company that intends to make a public equity offering. The red herring is a rough draft of the company's prospectus and includes a description of the company's business, financial condition, strategy, management, litigation and risk factors.

How It Works

A red herring receives its name from the prominent disclosure statement in red letters stating that the company is not attempting to sell its securities prior to the SEC's approval.

Information within a red herring changes either because the SEC requires it or the issuer chooses to alter or add to the existing disclosure. After the SEC approves the document, the red herring becomes the final prospectus and can be used to solicit orders from investors. The definition of red herring on InvestingAnswers

Why It Matters

Underwriters often use red herrings to gauge interest in their offerings. They are often the first look investors get at a new issuer.

Source: Investing Answers

red herring

noun

English Language Learners Definition of red herring

: something unimportant that is used to stop people from noticing or thinking about something important

See the full definition for red herring in the English Language Learners Dictionary

red herring

noun

red her·ring | \ ˌred-ˈher-iŋ\

Legal Definition of red herring

: a preliminary prospectus (as for the sale of securities) that is not yet approved by the appropriate body (as the Securities and Exchange Commission)

red herring

Definition of red herring

Did You Know?

Examples of red herring in a Sentence

First Known Use of red herring

Financial Definition of red herring

English Language Learners Definition of red herring

Legal Definition of red herring

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