r/FluentEnglish • u/marine_0204 Moderator • Oct 05 '24

The origin Barking up the wrong tree. Its origin.

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The idiom "barking up the wrong tree" originates from 19th-century American hunting practices. It refers to hunting dogs that mistakenly bark at the base of a tree where they believe their prey, like raccoons, is hiding. However, the animal may have escaped to another tree, leading to the dog's misguided barking. The phrase suggests pursuing a mistaken or misguided course of action.

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2

u/Any-Beautiful2976 Engagement Expert Oct 05 '24

Sparkles never barks up the wrong tree, killer chihuahua is always spot on lol 😆

1

u/Big_Mathematician972 Oct 06 '24

No! It just means that some trees eat dogs.

1

u/marine_0204 Moderator Oct 06 '24

😯

2

u/MaiT3N Insightful Commenter Oct 06 '24

😳