crossing wires
Getting messages tangled
Crossing wires means miscommunicating or misunderstanding each other, from the image of telephone or electrical lines getting tangled and connecting wrong parties or circuits.
When people get their wires crossed, they're operating on different assumptions or information: We must have crossed wires—I thought we were meeting at noon.
The phrase suggests the confusion is mutual and accidental rather than anyone's fault.
- shortOf limited extent
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- mixed signalsContradictory indications from someone
- mixed messagesInconsistent, contradictory communication
- twistRotating motion or surprise
misunderstanding · confusion · arc · cognitive dissonance · misperception · short circuit · spark · fuse · blown fuse · interpersonal conflict · misinterpretation · interference · power surge · electrical fire · tangle · tangled up · lost in translation · communication breakdown
crossing wiresmutual understanding
Shared agreement between parties
getting through · crystal clear · connecting · clarity · comprehension
crossing wireson the same wavelength
Mutually understanding without effort
coordination · in harmony · synchronization · coordinating · meshing
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