stalking-horse

English Thesaurus

1. a horse behind which a hunter hides while stalking game (noun.animal)

hypernym	:	equus caballus, horse,
definition	:	solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times (noun.animal)

2. screen consisting of a figure of a horse behind which a hunter hides while stalking game (noun.artifact)

hypernym	:	concealment, cover, covert, screen,
definition	:	a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something (noun.artifact)

3. something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason that is concocted in order to conceal the real reason (noun.communication)

hypernym	:	dissembling, feigning, pretence, pretense,
definition	:	pretending with intention to deceive (noun.communication)

hyponym	:	putoff,
definition	:	a pretext for delay or inaction (noun.communication)

4. a candidate put forward to divide the Opposition or to mask the true candidate (noun.person)

hypernym	:	campaigner, candidate, nominee,
definition	:	a politician who is running for public office (noun.person)