stalking-horse

stalk·ing-horse (stôkng-hôrs)

n.

1. Something used to cover one's true purpose; a decoy.

2. A sham candidate put forward to conceal the candidacy of another or to divide the opposition.

3.

a. A horse trained to conceal the hunter while stalking.

b. A canvas screen made in the figure of a horse, used for similar concealment.

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stalking-horse

Noun

something or someone used to hide a true purpose; pretext

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	stalking-horse - a candidate put forward to divide the Opposition or to mask the true candidate campaigner, candidate, nominee - a politician who is running for public office
	2.	stalking-horse - something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason that is concocted in order to conceal the real reason pretext dissembling, feigning, pretense, pretence - pretending with intention to deceive putoff - a pretext for delay or inaction
	3.	stalking-horse - screen consisting of a figure of a horse behind which a hunter hides while stalking game cover, covert, concealment, screen - a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something; "a screen of trees afforded privacy"; "under cover of darkness"; "the brush provided a covert for game"; "the simplest concealment is to match perfectly the color of the background"
	4.	stalking-horse - a horse behind which a hunter hides while stalking game Equus caballus, horse - solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times