Sidetrack vs. Trickery — What's the Difference?

To divert from a main issue or course

The practice or use of tricks; deception by stratagem.

To delay or block the progress of deliberately

(uncountable) Deception or underhanded behavior.

To switch from a main railroad track to a siding.

(uncountable) The art of dressing up; imposture.

To deviate from a main issue or course.

(uncountable) Artifice; the use of one or more stratagems.

To run into a siding.

(countable) An instance of deception, underhanded behavior, dressing up, imposture, artifice, etc.

A railroad siding.

The art of dressing up; artifice; stratagem; fraud; imposture.

(rail transport) A second, relatively short length of track just to the side of a railroad track, joined to the main track by switches at one or both ends, used either for unloading freight, or to allow two trains on a same track to meet (opposite directions) or pass (same direction); a railroad siding.

Verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way

(sometimes) Any auxiliary railroad track, as differentiated from a siding, that runs adjacent to the main track.

The use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them)

(mining) A smaller tunnel or well drilled as an auxiliary off a main tunnel or well.

An alternate train of thought, issue, topic, or activity, that is a deviation or distraction from the topic at hand or central activity, and secondary or subordinate in importance or effectiveness.

(rail) To divert (a locomotive or train) on to a lesser used track in order to allow other trains to pass.

To divert or distract (someone) from a main issue or course of action with an alternate or less relevant topic or activity; or, to use deliberate trickery or sly wordplay when talking to (a person) in order to avoid discussion of a subject.

To sideline; to push aside; to divert or distract from, reducing (something) to a secondary or subordinate position.

(intransitive) To deviate briefly from the topic at hand.

To transfer to a siding from a main line of track.

Hence, fig., to divert or reduce to a position or condition that is relatively secondary or subordinate in activity, importance, effectiveness, or the like; to switch off; to turn aside, as from a purpose.

A short stretch of railroad track used to store rolling stock or enable trains on the same line to pass

Wander from a direct or straight course