“The dog is barking at a tree.”
Idioms Entry 60 / 1605 60-second read
Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Pursuing the wrong course of action; wasting effort on the wrong target.
The comparisoni
“If you think I stole it, you're barking up the wrong tree.”
The ruleii
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BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE = looking in the wrong place.
Comes from hunting dogs that mistake where prey has gone.
Memory aidiii
Remember it like this
The dog is at the wrong tree — wasting energy.