throw dust in someone's eyes

Idioms

Mislead someone, as in The governor's press aide threw dust in their eyes, talking about a flight at the airport when he was heading for the highway. This metaphoric expression alludes to throwing dust or sand in the air to confuse a pursuing enemy. [Mid-1700s]

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023