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to get one's wires crossed
01
to fail to correctly understand or interpret what someone said
Humorous
Idiom
Informal
What is the origin of the idiom "get one's wires crossed" and when to use it?
The idiom "get one's wires crossed" likely originates from the early days of telegraphy and telephony when wires and cables were used to transmit messages. If the wires were crossed or tangled, it would result in a miscommunication or garbled message at the receiving end. The term was later used in informal conversations to humorously acknowledge a misunderstanding or mix-up, often with no one to blame for the confusion.
Example
It appears we had our wires crossed about the meeting location, as I waited at the wrong café.
We had our wires crossed when discussing the project, and now we're working on completely different tasks.
I think we got our wires crossed because I was expecting you at 3 PM, not 3 AM.
I'm sorry for bringing you the wrong order, sir, I've had my wires crossed all day!
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