Dictionary Home » The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms » lead down the garden path

lead down the garden path

lead down the garden path idiom

Also, lead up the garden path. Deceive someone. For example, Bill had quite different ideas from Tom about their new investment strategy; he was leading him down the garden path. This expression presumably alludes to the garden path as an intentional detour. [Early 1900s] Also see lead on.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.