wrong end of the stick
Got it backward
To get the wrong end of the stick is to misunderstand a situation or someone's meaning: I thought she was criticizing me, but I had the wrong end of the stick—she was actually defending me.
The image suggests grasping something awkwardly or incorrectly.
British English sometimes uses the wrong end of the stick to mean the worse part of a deal.
- lost in translationMeaning altered between languages
- thin end of the wedgeInitial small concession
- mistakeWrong action or decision
- misconceptionErroneous belief or understanding
- off baseInaccurate or mistaken
off the mark · misunderstanding · misconstrue · clueless · confusion · lost the plot · misread · error · jumped to conclusions · misstatement · blunder · crossed wires · misjudgment · assumption · missing the point · overgeneralization · miscommunication · garble
- misunderstandingsmisunderstanding, misinterpretation, misconception, misreading, miscommunication
wrong end of the stickon the same page
Sharing a common understanding
crystal clear · getting it right · hitting the nail on the head · spot on · insight
wrong end of the stickget the picture
Achieve full understanding
get it · catch on · comprehend · understand · get the point
wrong, wrongly, wrongful, wrongfully, wrongness, wronged, wronging, wrongs, ending