cover one's tracks

1. To hide and not leave anything, especially foot marks, to show where you have been, so that no one can follow you.

/The deer covered his tracks by running in a stream./

2. {informal} To hide or not say where you have been or what you have done; not tell why you do something or what you plan to do.

/The boys covered their tracks when they went swimming by saying that they were going for a walk./

Compare: COVER UP(1).

Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms

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