get the wrong end of the stick
/ˌɡet ðə ˌrɒŋ ˌend əv ðə ˈstɪk/INFORMAL · B2
Meaning
to misunderstand what someone means
Examples
- 1I think you've got the wrong end of the stick – Tom isn't leaving, he's just changing teams.
- 2My neighbour got the wrong end of the stick and thought we were moving house.
- 3Sorry, I got the wrong end of the stick; I thought the meeting was cancelled, not moved.
- 4Don't get the wrong end of the stick: I'm not angry with you, I'm just tired.
- 5Has Aisha got the wrong end of the stick again? She's waiting at the station instead of the airport.
Grammar
Only get changes: gets, got, getting. The rest is fixed; have got the wrong end of the stick is common too.
More idioms about communication
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →speak your mindto say honestly and directly what you thinkword of mouthnews passed on by people telling each otherto cut a long story shortused to give only the main point of what happenedall earslistening eagerly and with full attentionhear something on the grapevineto learn news that people pass on informallyput in a good word forto praise someone to a person who can help them
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
Here you get a couple of questions. The app gives you 16 practice modes, native equivalents and spaced repetition that tells you when it’s time to refresh.
