bark up the wrong tree

/bˈɑːk ˌʌp ðə ɹˈɒŋ tɹˈiː/

/bˈɑːɹk ˌʌp ðə ɹˈɔŋ tɹˈiː/

[phrase]

to bark up the wrong tree

[PHRASE]

to make a wrong decision about how to achieve or deal with something

to [bark] up the wrong tree definition and meaning

What is the origin of the idiom "bark up the wrong tree" and when to use it?

The origin of The idiom "bark up the wrong tree" goes back to the practice of hunting with dogs, where a dog would chase a prey up a tree, and the hunter would then approach the tree and determine which tree the dog had chased the prey up. If the hunter determined that the dog had barked up the wrong tree, they would then have to redirect their efforts to find the prey in the correct tree. Today, the idiom is commonly used in a figurative sense, implying that someone is pursuing a mistaken course of action or blaming the wrong person for a problem.

Examples

1. If you think I can help you with that, you're barking up the wrong tree - I have no expertise in that area.

2. The police were barking up the wrong tree when they initially suspected the wrong person of committing the crime.

3. A website that ranks movies based on if our furry companions bark up the wrong tree or not.

4. We still don't know exactly how your mother's exposure to extra bacteria influences you in the womb, but we do know that having a pet around before and after your birth may help keep your immune cells from barking up the wrong tree.

Nearby words

bark is worse than bite