![to [pull] the wool over {one's} eyes](/assets/img/no-pic-260w.png "to [pull] the wool over {one's} eyes")
to [pull] the wool over {one's} eyes
[phrase]
to hide the truth from someone and make them believe something that is not true
Ex:
Truth, Secrecy, & Deception - Deception
Discover how English idioms like "blow smoke" and "smell a rat" relate to deception in English.
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to [bend|stretch] the truth
[phrase]
to not be completely truthful about something by changing or omitting some facts
Ex:
The
politician
bent
the
truth
about
his
qualifications
in order to
get
elected
.
to [blow] smoke
[phrase]
to try to deceive a person by doing or saying something that misleads or confuses them
Ex:
The
salesperson
tried
to
blow
smoke
about
the
product
's
miraculous
benefits
,
but
the
customers
were
skeptical
and
sought
more
information
.
Canterbury tale
[noun]
a story, explanation, or excuse that is hard to believe
Ex:
When
asked
about
the
missing
cookies
,
the
child
spun
a
Canterbury tale
involving
a
mischievous
imaginary
friend
.
to [cook] the books
[phrase]
to illegally change the financial records of a company or organization for personal gain
Ex:
When
the
business
started
facing
financial
difficulties
,
the
desperate
owner
resorted
to
cooking
the
books
in
an
attempt
to
secure
additional
investment
.
snow job
[noun]
an attempt to persuade someone to do or believe something using deception or flattery
Ex:
The
contractor
did
a
snow job
,
using
complex
terminology
to
obscure
the
actual
costs
of
the
construction
project
.
to [throw] dust in {one's} eyes
[phrase]
to provide someone with false, altered, or misleading information
Ex:
to [worm] {sth} out of {sb}
[phrase]
to make someone reveal information by questioning them repeatedly or cleverly
Ex:
to [smell] a rat
[phrase]
to begin to feel that there might be something wrong or dishonest about a situation
Ex:
The
unusual
financial
transactions
led
the
accountant
to
smell
a
rat
and
report
potential
fraud
to
the
authorities
.
monkey business
[noun]
behavior that is mischievous, dishonest, or unacceptable
Ex:
The
detective
suspected
there
was
monkey business
behind
the
seemingly
innocent
transaction
and
decided
to
investigate
further
.
(as|) crooked as a dog's hind leg
[phrase]
used to refer to a person who behaves in an untrustworthy or deceitful way
Ex:
The
fraudulent scheme
was
exposed
when
investigators
realized
the
company
's
accounting
practices
were
crooked
as
a
dog
's
hind leg
.
to make a person believe something that is not true
Ex:
bait and switch
[phrase]
a deceptive marketing tactic where a product or service is advertised at a low price to attract customers, but is then substituted for a more expensive or inferior option
Ex:
Homebuyers
were
wary
of
falling
victim
to
a
bait
and
switch
,
carefully
scrutinizing
property
listings
to
ensure
that
the
showcased
features
matched
the
actual
offerings
.
smoke and mirrors
[phrase]
a situation where something seems impressive or important, but is actually just a distraction from something else
Ex:
The
financial
report
was
criticized
for
employing
smoke
and
mirrors
to
make
the
company
's
performance
appear
more
robust
than
it
actually
was
.
to [pull] a fast one
[phrase]
to cheat someone in a clever and often unexpected way
Ex:
She
pulled
a
fast one
on
her
friends
by
organizing
a
surprise
party
they
never
saw
coming
.
free lunch
[noun]
something that appears free but actually costs something in a hidden or indirect way
Ex:
The
promotional
event
promised
a
free lunch
for
attendees
,
but
participants
later
realized
they
were
expected
to
sit through
a
lengthy
sales pitch
.
copycat
[noun]
a person who imitates the actions, clothes, ideas, etc. of someone else
Ex:
The
marketing
team
was
frustrated
with
the
competitor
's
copycat
advertising campaign
,
which
mirrored
their
successful
strategy
.
| Truth, Secrecy, & Deception | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deception | Secrecy | Keeping Secrets | Lying & Exaggeration |
| Obviousness | Pretense | Revealing Secrets | Depth & Surface |
| Trust & Honesty | Truthfulness | Flattery & Bragging | |