Noun

(countable) An indirect or deceptive device or stratagem; a blind. Refers especially to war and politics.

Overt subterfuge in a region nearly caused a minor accident.

* 2010 , (Clare Vanderpool), (Moon Over Manifest)

How’s the spy hunt going? Uncovered any subterfuge ?

*{{quote-magazine, date=2012-03

, author=William E. Carter, Merri Sue Carter , title=The British Longitude Act Reconsidered , volume=100, issue=2, page=87 , magazine=(American Scientist) citation , passage=But was it responsible governance to pass the Longitude Act without other efforts to protect British seamen? Or might it have been subterfuge —a disingenuous attempt to shift attention away from the realities of their life at sea.}}

(uncountable) Deception; misrepresentation of the true nature of an activity.

Noun

(en noun)

A long outer garment worn over the shoulders covering the back; a cape, often with a hood.

*{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)

, chapter=5 citation , passage=‘It's rather like a beautiful Inverness cloak one has inherited. Much too good to hide away, so one wears it instead of an overcoat and pretends it's an amusing new fashion.’}}

A blanket-like covering, often metaphorical.

(figurative)  That which conceals; a disguise or pretext.

* South

No man is esteemed any ways considerable for policy who wears religion otherwise than as a cloak .

(Internet)  A text replacement for an IRC user's hostname or IP address, making the user less identifiable.