the wrong end of the stick

noun phrase

chiefly British, informal

: an incorrect understanding of something

You've got (hold of) the wrong end of the stick. He didn't push me; I fell.

Examples of the wrong end of the stick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One is that the Fed has grasped the wrong end of the stick in its battle against high prices. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2023

Rhymes for the wrong end of the stick

• actinic
• agnatic
• bailiwick
• bolshevik
• candlestick
• deontic
• firebrick
• herpetic
• judaic
• lunatic
• menshevik
• orthotic