blows smoke
Exaggerates without substance
To blow smoke is to deceive or mislead, especially through empty talk or flattery.
The image suggests obscuring the truth behind a cloud of words: Don't listen to him—he's just blowing smoke.
The fuller expression blow smoke up someone's ass is cruder but means the same thing: feeding someone pleasant nonsense.
- beat around the bushAvoid stating directly
- falsehoodDeliberate untrue statement
- muddy the watersDeliberately confuse an issue
- distractionThing diverting one's attention
- talk in circlesSpeak without progressing
pull the wool · string along · pretense · put on an act · diversion · hot air · full of it · smokescreen · duplicity · bluffing · deceit · misrepresentation · misdirection · flattery · butter up · spin a yarn · lead astray · fabrication
blows smokestraight talk
Honest, direct communication
levels with · tells it like it is · calls a spade a spade · cuts to the chase · comes clean
blows smokewalks the walk
Acts on stated beliefs
puts up · walks the talk · means business · gets down to brass tacks · knows their stuff
blow, blows, blew, blown, blowing, blower, blowers, smoke, smokes