stalking-horse
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈstɔkɪŋˌhɔrs/
- Literature
:
táctica encubierta
- She suspected he was just a stalking-horse for the company's true candidate.
And I, I, I, I worry about it being a stalking horse for people who who point to that to use it as a reason to upend the Affordable Care Act.
- And I, I, I, I worry about it being a stalking horse for people who who point to that to use it as a reason to upend the Affordable Care Act.
Examples
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The party used a stalking-horse to distract voters from their real leadership choice.
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Rumors about a new CEO proved to be a stalking-horse to test public reaction.
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The politician used a stalking-horse to disguise his true agenda.
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Many believe that the proposal was just a stalking-horse for larger changes.
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The politician used a local activist as a stalking horse to promote his controversial agenda without revealing his identity.
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In the negotiations, she acted as a stalking horse for the company's true objectives, allowing them to gauge public reaction.
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Many believe that his new proposal is merely a stalking horse to distract from the underlying budget cuts.
Synonyms
129
5.9
A way of acting that hides how a person really feels
53
7.7
A clever trick to deceive someone
42
6.7
A false reason people give to hide what they really want
19
9.5
A trick or excuse to hide the real reason
9
7.1
An action or statement that hides the real reason behind something
1
7.4
A person or thing that seems harmless but secretly causes harm
1
4.1
A person or thing that hides something to keep it secret
Something used as an excuse to hide a weakness or real purpose
Antonyms
How Concealing
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Stalking-horse comes from the hunting idea of hiding behind a horse while you stalk, which means 'to follow quietly'. That's why the word now means a 'decoy' person or thing that hides someone's real plans.