run interference

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Idioms and Phrases

Handle problems or help clear the way for another, as in The press secretary runs interference for the governor . This term comes from football, where it refers to the blocking of defensive players by offensive players to let the ball carrier advance. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.

Related Words

accelerate
assist
facilitate
hasten
promote
quicken
speed
urge

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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