Question

Bark Up the Wrong Tree to direct your attention or efforts toward the wrong person or thing; to have the wrong idea about something

Accepted Answer

Maria's uncle wanted to make her into a magician, but he was barking up the wrong tree. Her brother, Juan, was the one who loved tricks. During colonial times in America, raccoon hunting was a popular sport. Trained dogs would chase a raccoon up a tree and bark furiously at the base until the hunter came. Sometimes a raccoon could escape to the branches of another tree, leaving the dog barking up the wrong tree. Today, you can "bark up the wrong tree" if you're on a wrong course of action, have your attention redirected from your intended object, or choose the wrong person to deal with.

Idiom	Bark Up the Wrong Tree
Example	Maria's uncle wanted to make her into a magician, but he was barking up the wrong tree. Her brother, Juan, was the one who loved tricks.
Meaning	to direct your attention or efforts toward the wrong person or thing; to have the wrong idea about something
Origin	During colonial times in America, raccoon hunting was a popular sport. Trained dogs would chase a raccoon up a tree and bark furiously at the base until the hunter came. Sometimes a raccoon could escape to the branches of another tree, leaving the dog barking up the wrong tree. Today, you can "bark up the wrong tree" if you're on a wrong course of action, have your attention redirected from your intended object, or choose the wrong person to deal with.

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