- lead someone on
- lead (someone) on
to deceive someone in order to get what you want from them.
Related vocabulary: toy with someone
She led him on for five months while she was going out with another guy.
New idioms dictionary. 2014.
lead someone on
Look at other dictionaries:
lead someone a — ( ● dance … Useful english dictionary
lead someone a dance — see under ↑dance • • • Main Entry: ↑lead * * * lead someone a (merry) dance british phrase to treat someone badly over a period of time, for example by making them do things that are not necessary or by telling them things that are not true… … Useful english dictionary
lead someone down/up the garden path — see ↑lead, 1 • • • Main Entry: ↑garden lead someone down/up the garden path informal : to deceive someone : to cause someone to go, think, or proceed wrongly He believes the average consumer is being led down the garden path by the promises in… … Useful english dictionary
lead someone a merry chase — (US) (or Brit lead someone a (merry) dance) old fashioned : to cause a series of troubles or worries for (someone) He led me a merry chase before I finally got him to agree to a meeting. • • • Main Entry: ↑lead … Useful english dictionary
lead someone around by the nose — lead someone (around) by the nose see ↑nose, 1 • • • Main Entry: ↑lead lead someone (around) by the nose informal : to completely control a person I m amazed that he lets them lead him around by the nose like that. • • • Main Entry … Useful english dictionary
lead (someone) astray — 1. to influence someone in a negative way. Parents always worry that certain friends will lead their children astray. 2. to cause someone to make a mistake. The police were led astray by some false information. Related vocabulary: go astray … New idioms dictionary
lead someone up the garden path — If someone leads you up the garden path, they deceive you, or give you false information that causes you to waste your time. Lead someone down the garden path is also used … The small dictionary of idiomes
lead someone up (or down) the garden path — informal give someone misleading clues or signals. → lead … English new terms dictionary
lead someone down the garden path — lead (someone) down the garden path to deceive someone. Our country has been led down the garden path by the politicians in office. Etymology: based on the idea that a path in a garden is very pleasant, so someone who is brought along it can be… … New idioms dictionary
lead (someone) a (merry) dance — old fashioned to confuse someone or to cause problems for them by deceiving them or behaving in a way that they cannot understand. She s led us a merry dance over the plans for the party … New idioms dictionary
