dog and pony show

See also: dog-and-pony show

English

Alternative forms

• dog-and-pony show

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Noun

dog and pony show (plural dog and pony shows)

1. (historical) A small traveling circus featuring animals as entertainment.
2. (idiomatic) Any presentation or display that is overly contrived or intricate, while lacking real substance.

   They put on a whole dog and pony show for the investors, but I'm not sure they've convinced anyone.

   • 2012 January 8, Elizabeth Popp Berman, Creating the Market University: How Academic Science Became an Economic Engine‎^[1], Princeton University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 119:

     Here, the academics put on a bit of a dog-and-pony show, demonstrating their latest breakthroughs and giving sponsors a chance to meet students who are about to receive their PhDs and start looking for jobs. […]

See also

• dog and pony show on Wikipedia.Wikipedia