mirror
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do it with mirrors
1. To do or perform something (especially a magic trick) by using an optical illusion. Everyone was astounded when he appeared to levitate off the ground, but I'm pretty sure he just did it with mirrors.
2. To do something in a highly secretive, illusory, or inexplicable way, likened to that of a magic trick. The military operation was completely unseen, completely unnoticed by anybody, as if they did it with mirrors. The company's CEO managed to swindle his clients out of millions of dollars, doing it with mirrors so that no one would notice the disappearance of the money until it was too late.
See also: mirror
able to fog a mirror
Alive, perhaps barely. (If one holds up a mirror to one's nose or mouth, the breath will cause fog to appear.) I spent the whole day moving furniture, so I'm barely able to fog a mirror now. He'll date any woman who's able to fog a mirror.
smoke and mirrors
Trickery, deception, or misdirection. The candidate has been accused of using smoke and mirrors during the debate to undermine the credibility of his opponent. Before computer generated effects, filmmakers had to use a lot of smoke and mirrors to make fantastic, unbelievable things look realistic in their movies.
(all) done with mirrors
Done using trickery, deception, or misdirection. Before computer generated effects, fantastic, unbelievable things in movies were all done with mirrors.
(all) done by mirrors
Done using trickery, deception, or misdirection. Before computer generated effects, fantastic, unbelievable things in movies were all done by mirrors.
able to fog a mirror
Fig. Inf. alive, even if just barely. (Usually jocular. Alludes to the use of a small mirror placed under the nose to tell if a person is breathing or not. (Able to can be replaced with can.) Look, I don't need an athlete to do this job! Anybody able to fog a mirror will do fine!
smoke and mirrors
deception and confusion. (Said of statements or more complicated rhetoric used to mislead people rather than inform. Alludes to the way a magician uses optical illusion to create believability while performing a trick. Fixed order.) Most people know that the politician was just using smoke and mirrors to make things look better than they really were. Her report was little more than smoke and mirrors. No one will believe any of it.
smoke and mirrors
Smoke and mirrors are words and actions that are intended to deceive or confuse people, especially by making something seem better than it really is. The president claims that his economic plan is free of the smoke and mirrors of previous presidential budget proposals. Thousands of shareholders learned too late that the company's image of success had been created with smoke and mirrors. Note: Magicians sometimes use smoke and mirrors when they are performing tricks, in order to confuse or deceive people.
all done with mirrors
achieved with an element of trickery.This phrase alludes to the fact that conjuring tricks are often explained as being achieved through the skilful use of mirrors; compare with smoke and mirrors (at smoke).
smoke and mirrors
the obscuring or embellishing of the truth of a situation with misleading or irrelevant information. chiefly North American 1998 Sunday Telegraph Ministers accused the Conservatives of a ‘smoke and mirrors’ con trick.
smoke and ˈmirrors
used to describe ways of tricking people or of hiding the truth: He said the government had used smoke and mirrors to raise taxes. ♢ The commission has declared war on the smoke and mirrors of sales promotions.done by mirrors
and done with mirrors mod. illusory; accomplished in a way that is purposefully deceptive. He’s not really smart. It’s all done by mirrors. The whole budgetary process is done with mirrors.
done with mirrors
verbSee done by mirrors
smoke and mirrors
n. a strategy of deception and cover up. Her entire report was nothing but smoke and mirrors. Who could believe any of it?
smoke and mirrors
Something that deceives or distorts the truth: Your explanation is nothing but smoke and mirrors.