lead down the garden path (redirected from lead someone up the garden path)

lead someone down the garden path and lead someone up the garden path

to deceive someone. Now, be honest with me. Don't lead me down the garden path. That cheater really led her up the garden path.

See also: garden, lead, path

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lead somebody down the garden path also lead somebody up 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 deceived without noticing it

See also: garden, lead, path