Waste one’s efforts by pursuing the wrong thing or path, as in If you think I can come up with more money, you’re barking up the wrong tree. This term comes from the nocturnal pursuit of raccoon-hunting with the aid of dogs.

What does bark up the right tree mean?

Yes, I agree with Language Hound, it`s just a modification of the idiom to bark up the wrong tree so it should mean something like to ask the right person / to make a right decision / to pursue the right course etc. depending on context, i.e. you`re not mistaken.

Is barking up the wrong tree an insult?

Re: ‘barking up the wrong tree’ –an offending idiom or not? No, this is not offensive.

What is another way of saying barking up the wrong tree?

In this page you can discover 4 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for bark-up-the-wrong-tree, like: misdirect one’s efforts, misjudge, miscalculate and mistake.

Which is correct barking up the wrong tree or barking at the wrong tree?

Member. The phrase is indeed barking up the wrong tree. When a dog sees something that he wants high up in a tree (such as a cat or a bird), he will often run to the tree and start barking! So the phrase means something like looking for something in the wrong place, or as you said, dealing with the wrong person.

How do you use barking in the wrong tree in a sentence?

1. If he expects to borrow money from me, he is barking up the wrong tree. 2. She thinks it’ll solve the problem, but I reckon she’s barking up the wrong tree.

What does be glad to see the back of mean?

If you are pleased to see the back of someone or something, you are pleased that you no longer have to be involved with him, her, or it: The hotel staff were glad to see the back of such a difficult guest.

What is meant by miss the boat?

See synonyms for miss the boat on Thesaurus.com. 1. Fail to take advantage of an opportunity, as in Jean missed the boat on that club membership. This expression, which alludes to not being in time to catch a boat, has been applied more widely since the 1920s.

What does the idiom can’t cut the mustard mean?

To cut the mustard is to reach or surpass the desired standard or performance or more generally to succeed, to have the ability to do something. For instance, Beyonc really cut the mustard in her new song.

What are examples of idioms?

The most common English idioms

Idiom Meaning
Beat around the bush Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable
Better late than never Better to arrive late than not to come at all
Bite the bullet To get something over with because it is inevitable
Break a leg Good luck

What is another word for underlies?

What is another word for underlie?

support reinforce
prop uphold
buoy carry
crutch steady
sustain underpin

Why are trees often mistaken for dogs?

Hunters sometimes use scent hounds to locate and pursue animals. … Occasionally, dogs lose the scent or become confused by an old scent trail. The animal is long gone, but the mistaken dogs circle a tree where they believe it to be hiding and sound the alarm.

What is the meaning of dogs are barking in idiomatic expression?

Definition. If your dogs are barking, this means that your feet are hurting. Interesting fact: There is a brand of shoes called Hush Puppy. The connection between this brand and the expression dogs are barking is obvious: the shoes Hush Puppies are supposedly so comfortable and your feet won’t hurt when you wear them …

Why do we have to know what idiomatic expressions are?

Learning idiomatic expressions helps non-native speakers of a language become more fluent, and sound more native-like. Learning idiomatic expressions increases the vocabulary and lexicon of the English Language learner.

What is the meaning of bark of the tree?

bark. [ brk ] The protective outer covering of the trunk, branches, and roots of trees and other woody plants. Bark includes all tissues outside the vascular cambium.

How do you use best of both worlds in a sentence?

a situation in which you can enjoy the advantages of two very different things at the same time: She works in the city and lives in the country, so she gets the best of both worlds.

How do you use be glad to see the back of in a sentence?

Example Sentences I was glad to see the back of him.My sister has been staying with us for six months.I love her but would be glad to see the back of her. After camping without running water and sanitation for two weeks I am glad to see the back of this place.

What is the meaning of cross the bridge when you come to it?

Definition of cross that bridge when one comes to it : to not worry about a possible problem until it actually happens I don’t know how we’ll pay the bills if you quit your job, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

What does beating around the bush mean?

to avoid giving a definite answer or position. Please stop beating around the bush and tell me the full story.

What does cut the mustard come from?

The first recorded use of the phrase is by O Henry in 1907, in a story called The Heart of the West: I looked around and found a proposition that exactly cut the mustard. The modern sense of the idiom is to succeed; to have the ability to do something; to come up to expectations.