Definitions for smoke and mirrors
smoke and mir·rors

WiktionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. smoke and mirrorsnoun

   A deceptive, fraudulent, or unconvincing explanation or description.

2. Etymology: From the dubious vaudeville techniques traditionally used by stage magicians.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Smoke and mirrors

   Smoke and mirrors is a metaphor for a deceptive, fraudulent or insubstantial explanation or description. The source of the name is based on magicians' illusions, where magicians make objects appear or disappear by extending or retracting mirrors amid a distracting burst of smoke. The expression may have a connotation of virtuosity or cleverness in carrying out such a deception. In the field of computer programming, it is used to describe a program or functionality that does not yet exist, but appears as though it does. This is often done to demonstrate what a resulting project will function/look like after the code is complete — at a trade show, for example. More generally, "smoke and mirrors" may refer to any sort of presentation by which the audience is intended to be deceived, such as an attempt to fool a prospective client into thinking that one has capabilities necessary to deliver a product in question. Compare red herring.

The New Hacker's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. smoke and mirrors

   Marketing deceptions. The term is mainstream in this general sense. Among hackers it's strongly associated with bogus demos and crocked benchmarks (see also MIPS, machoflops). “They claim their new box cranks 50 MIPS for under $5000, but didn't specify the instruction mix — sounds like smoke and mirrors to me.” The phrase, popularized by newspaper columnist Jimmy Breslin c.1975, has been said to derive from carnie slang for magic acts and ‘freak show’ displays that depend on trompe l'oeil effects, but also calls to mind the fierce Aztec god Tezcatlipoca (lit. “Smoking Mirror”) for whom the hearts of huge numbers of human sacrificial victims were regularly cut out. Upon hearing about a rigged demo or yet another round of fantasy-based marketing promises, hackers often feel analogously disheartened. See also stealth manager.

How to pronounce smoke and mirrors?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say smoke and mirrors in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of smoke and mirrors in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of smoke and mirrors in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of smoke and mirrors in a Sentence

1. Attorney Brian Kelly:

   It’s all smoke and mirrors, they don’t have the evidence to prove him guilty.

2. Judy Stines:

   I always thought it was smoke and mirrors, but if that’s what you want to invest in, you do you.

3. Public Citizen Harley:

   It really is a smoke and mirrors campaign.

4. One Beijing-based Western executive:

   It's all smoke and mirrors.

5. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards:

   I don't say this to scare you. But I am going to be honest with you. No more tricks. No more smoke and mirrors.

References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Smoke_and_Mirrors
2. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=smoke and mirrors
3. ^ The New Hacker's Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/3008/3008-h/3008-h.htm#SmokeandMirrors