Something that is profoundly irritating, designed to mislead, or makes no sense whatsoever. Similar to smoke and mirrors but considerably more mundane.
"What a sterling email" - an email heavy with words but light on meaning or commitment to anything at all.
"A stirling job" - a job that has been done in a way so as to give the impression of completion but that actually is only designed to hide or detract from underlying defects or incompetence.
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