muddy the waters
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Confuse the issue, as in Bringing up one irrelevant fact after another, he succeeded in muddying the waters. This metaphoric expression, alluding to making a pond or stream turbid by stirring up mud from the bottom, was first recorded in 1837.
QUIZ
TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS
Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”
Question 1 of 7
What does "dignity" mean?
Words nearby muddy the waters
muddlehead, muddleheaded, muddler, muddle through, muddy, muddy the waters, mud eel, Mudéjar, mudeye, mudfat, mud fever
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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