phrase
General Slang
barking up the wrong tree
BARK-ing up the RONG TREE · phrase · informal
Pursuing a mistaken course.
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Definitions
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Directing effort or blame at the wrong target.
“If you think I took it, you're barking up the wrong tree.”
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barking up the wrong tree In A Sentence
If you think I took it, you're barking up the wrong tree.
Origin & Usage
American idiom, 1800s; from coon-hunting dogs that bay at the base of a tree the quarry has already left.
People Also Ask
What does "barking up the wrong tree" mean?
It means pursuing a mistaken course or directing your effort or blame at the wrong target.
How do you use it?
You tell someone they're "barking up the wrong tree" when their suspicion or approach is aimed at the wrong place.
Where does the phrase come from?
It's an 1800s American idiom from coon-hunting dogs that bay at the base of a tree after the quarry has already moved on.
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