Is the usage of idiom, “get hold of the wrong end of the stick” situation specific?











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I came across the idiom, “get hold of the wrong end of the stick” in the following sentence of the scene where Barry Calvert, an FBI agent tells his colleague, Mark Andrews about the statement of an illegal Greek immigrant on suspected assassination scheme in Jeffery Archer’s fiction, “Shall we tell the President” P.37:




“I don’t believe a word of it,” Barry said immediately. “With his
English, he could easily have got hold of the wrong end of the stick. It was
probably quite innocent. People curse the President all the time. My
father does, but that doesn’t mean he would kill her.”




I checked the meaning of “get hold of the wrong end of the stick” with a couple of dictionaries:



Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “to not understand a situation correctly.”

The FreeDictionary defines it exactly in the same way as Cambridge - “(informal). to not understand a situation correctly”



Kenkyusha Publishing’s Readers English Japanese Dictionary defines it as “make an error of the judgment (of situation).



While the definitions of the above three English and English Japanese dictionaries are all “Situation specific,” Collins English Dictionary defines it as “a complete misunderstanding of a situation, explanation, etc.”



Can I use “get hold of the wrong end of the stick other than a “situation,” e.g. for meaning of word(s), message, statement, somebody’s notion, view, intent, and idea? Can I say “I get hold of the wrong end of the stick on his remarks (or instructions)”?



Secondarily, what is the origin of this idiom?



Correction:



I was reminded of that I dropped “end of the” from “get hold of the wrong end of the stick by TimLymington's advice.



It’s careless but a great mistake that occurred when I was transcribing the original text of Archer’s fiction. My apology.



I suspected if I should cancel this question. However, the definitions of all dictionaries of the idiom, and my question about whether the idiom is “situation specific,” or not remain the same.
So I ventured to leave it as it is by making necessary corrections.










share|improve this question




















  • 2




    Are you sure it wasn't "get hold of the wrong end of the stick"?
    – TimLymington
    Oct 2 '13 at 12:21










  • english.stackexchange.com/questions/67813
    – MetaEd
    Oct 2 '13 at 12:38










  • TimLimington.Thanks a lot for your pointing out my mistake. I dropped “end of. “ It was “hold of the wrong end of the stick.” I was careless and my apology for confusing you and many of users.
    – Yoichi Oishi
    Oct 2 '13 at 21:40















up vote
3
down vote

favorite












I came across the idiom, “get hold of the wrong end of the stick” in the following sentence of the scene where Barry Calvert, an FBI agent tells his colleague, Mark Andrews about the statement of an illegal Greek immigrant on suspected assassination scheme in Jeffery Archer’s fiction, “Shall we tell the President” P.37:




“I don’t believe a word of it,” Barry said immediately. “With his
English, he could easily have got hold of the wrong end of the stick. It was
probably quite innocent. People curse the President all the time. My
father does, but that doesn’t mean he would kill her.”




I checked the meaning of “get hold of the wrong end of the stick” with a couple of dictionaries:



Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “to not understand a situation correctly.”

The FreeDictionary defines it exactly in the same way as Cambridge - “(informal). to not understand a situation correctly”



Kenkyusha Publishing’s Readers English Japanese Dictionary defines it as “make an error of the judgment (of situation).



While the definitions of the above three English and English Japanese dictionaries are all “Situation specific,” Collins English Dictionary defines it as “a complete misunderstanding of a situation, explanation, etc.”



Can I use “get hold of the wrong end of the stick other than a “situation,” e.g. for meaning of word(s), message, statement, somebody’s notion, view, intent, and idea? Can I say “I get hold of the wrong end of the stick on his remarks (or instructions)”?



Secondarily, what is the origin of this idiom?



Correction:



I was reminded of that I dropped “end of the” from “get hold of the wrong end of the stick by TimLymington's advice.



It’s careless but a great mistake that occurred when I was transcribing the original text of Archer’s fiction. My apology.



I suspected if I should cancel this question. However, the definitions of all dictionaries of the idiom, and my question about whether the idiom is “situation specific,” or not remain the same.
So I ventured to leave it as it is by making necessary corrections.










share|improve this question




















  • 2




    Are you sure it wasn't "get hold of the wrong end of the stick"?
    – TimLymington
    Oct 2 '13 at 12:21










  • english.stackexchange.com/questions/67813
    – MetaEd
    Oct 2 '13 at 12:38










  • TimLimington.Thanks a lot for your pointing out my mistake. I dropped “end of. “ It was “hold of the wrong end of the stick.” I was careless and my apology for confusing you and many of users.
    – Yoichi Oishi
    Oct 2 '13 at 21:40













up vote
3
down vote

favorite









up vote
3
down vote

favorite











I came across the idiom, “get hold of the wrong end of the stick” in the following sentence of the scene where Barry Calvert, an FBI agent tells his colleague, Mark Andrews about the statement of an illegal Greek immigrant on suspected assassination scheme in Jeffery Archer’s fiction, “Shall we tell the President” P.37:




“I don’t believe a word of it,” Barry said immediately. “With his
English, he could easily have got hold of the wrong end of the stick. It was
probably quite innocent. People curse the President all the time. My
father does, but that doesn’t mean he would kill her.”




I checked the meaning of “get hold of the wrong end of the stick” with a couple of dictionaries:



Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “to not understand a situation correctly.”

The FreeDictionary defines it exactly in the same way as Cambridge - “(informal). to not understand a situation correctly”



Kenkyusha Publishing’s Readers English Japanese Dictionary defines it as “make an error of the judgment (of situation).



While the definitions of the above three English and English Japanese dictionaries are all “Situation specific,” Collins English Dictionary defines it as “a complete misunderstanding of a situation, explanation, etc.”



Can I use “get hold of the wrong end of the stick other than a “situation,” e.g. for meaning of word(s), message, statement, somebody’s notion, view, intent, and idea? Can I say “I get hold of the wrong end of the stick on his remarks (or instructions)”?



Secondarily, what is the origin of this idiom?



Correction:



I was reminded of that I dropped “end of the” from “get hold of the wrong end of the stick by TimLymington's advice.



It’s careless but a great mistake that occurred when I was transcribing the original text of Archer’s fiction. My apology.



I suspected if I should cancel this question. However, the definitions of all dictionaries of the idiom, and my question about whether the idiom is “situation specific,” or not remain the same.
So I ventured to leave it as it is by making necessary corrections.










share|improve this question















I came across the idiom, “get hold of the wrong end of the stick” in the following sentence of the scene where Barry Calvert, an FBI agent tells his colleague, Mark Andrews about the statement of an illegal Greek immigrant on suspected assassination scheme in Jeffery Archer’s fiction, “Shall we tell the President” P.37:




“I don’t believe a word of it,” Barry said immediately. “With his
English, he could easily have got hold of the wrong end of the stick. It was
probably quite innocent. People curse the President all the time. My
father does, but that doesn’t mean he would kill her.”




I checked the meaning of “get hold of the wrong end of the stick” with a couple of dictionaries:



Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “to not understand a situation correctly.”

The FreeDictionary defines it exactly in the same way as Cambridge - “(informal). to not understand a situation correctly”



Kenkyusha Publishing’s Readers English Japanese Dictionary defines it as “make an error of the judgment (of situation).



While the definitions of the above three English and English Japanese dictionaries are all “Situation specific,” Collins English Dictionary defines it as “a complete misunderstanding of a situation, explanation, etc.”



Can I use “get hold of the wrong end of the stick other than a “situation,” e.g. for meaning of word(s), message, statement, somebody’s notion, view, intent, and idea? Can I say “I get hold of the wrong end of the stick on his remarks (or instructions)”?



Secondarily, what is the origin of this idiom?



Correction:



I was reminded of that I dropped “end of the” from “get hold of the wrong end of the stick by TimLymington's advice.



It’s careless but a great mistake that occurred when I was transcribing the original text of Archer’s fiction. My apology.



I suspected if I should cancel this question. However, the definitions of all dictionaries of the idiom, and my question about whether the idiom is “situation specific,” or not remain the same.
So I ventured to leave it as it is by making necessary corrections.







etymology idioms word-usage






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edited Oct 3 '13 at 8:36

























asked Oct 2 '13 at 12:09









Yoichi Oishi

34.6k109360735




34.6k109360735








  • 2




    Are you sure it wasn't "get hold of the wrong end of the stick"?
    – TimLymington
    Oct 2 '13 at 12:21










  • english.stackexchange.com/questions/67813
    – MetaEd
    Oct 2 '13 at 12:38










  • TimLimington.Thanks a lot for your pointing out my mistake. I dropped “end of. “ It was “hold of the wrong end of the stick.” I was careless and my apology for confusing you and many of users.
    – Yoichi Oishi
    Oct 2 '13 at 21:40














  • 2




    Are you sure it wasn't "get hold of the wrong end of the stick"?
    – TimLymington
    Oct 2 '13 at 12:21










  • english.stackexchange.com/questions/67813
    – MetaEd
    Oct 2 '13 at 12:38










  • TimLimington.Thanks a lot for your pointing out my mistake. I dropped “end of. “ It was “hold of the wrong end of the stick.” I was careless and my apology for confusing you and many of users.
    – Yoichi Oishi
    Oct 2 '13 at 21:40








2




2




Are you sure it wasn't "get hold of the wrong end of the stick"?
– TimLymington
Oct 2 '13 at 12:21




Are you sure it wasn't "get hold of the wrong end of the stick"?
– TimLymington
Oct 2 '13 at 12:21












english.stackexchange.com/questions/67813
– MetaEd
Oct 2 '13 at 12:38




english.stackexchange.com/questions/67813
– MetaEd
Oct 2 '13 at 12:38












TimLimington.Thanks a lot for your pointing out my mistake. I dropped “end of. “ It was “hold of the wrong end of the stick.” I was careless and my apology for confusing you and many of users.
– Yoichi Oishi
Oct 2 '13 at 21:40




TimLimington.Thanks a lot for your pointing out my mistake. I dropped “end of. “ It was “hold of the wrong end of the stick.” I was careless and my apology for confusing you and many of users.
– Yoichi Oishi
Oct 2 '13 at 21:40










4 Answers
4






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
2
down vote



accepted










Given that not a single reference work considers wrong stick as a variant of the well-known idiom, this corruption is likely to be a mistake (albeit quite possibly a deliberate one).



The origin of the two related idioms (see below) is thought be related to argumentum baculum or the argument of the cudgel (or staff, hence stick).
The best explanation can be found here.



The picture is literally that of a master beating a servant. If you get the wrong end of the stick, you are the recipient of the blows from the lucky master who holds the right end.



To say that you get the wrong end of the stick simply implies misunderstanding or wrong facts (and is not situation-specific, assuming I get the drift of your question).



To say that you have the short (or dirty) end of the stick is to have the least desirable part of a bargain or the worst end of a bargain.



Get hold of the wrong stick does not appear to make much sense. It implies there are a few sticks to choose from and (more implausibly) that one of them is right for the purpose. In the context provided, the author alludes to the subject's deficiency in the knowledge of English Language which could well lead to a misunderstanding on his part (a curse being misinterpreted as an actual plot to kill). It may even be the case that the distortion of this well-known idiom is deliberate and intended to disparage the Greek man's poor grasp of English.






share|improve this answer






























    up vote
    4
    down vote













    The wrong end of the stick is at Question 67813 and linked to CUP Dictionary.



    To get hold of the wrong stick is to misunderstand something completely: not even holding the right stick, let alone the right end of the stick.




    The good news might be that even though you got hold of the wrong end of the stick, you didn't get hold of the wrong stick entirely.



    The Student Room (UK)





    ... once in a while, the foodie network in Atlanta really does get hold of the wrong stick.



    Marie, Let's Eat (Woodstock GA)







    share|improve this answer























    • Conjecture? Opinion?
      – Kris
      Oct 2 '13 at 13:30










    • @Kris Well, there's some corroboration.
      – Andrew Leach
      Oct 2 '13 at 13:38


















    up vote
    0
    down vote













    I have never heard anyone using "get hold of the wrong stick", but "get hold of the wrong end of the stick" is familiar. Ngram seems to corroborate this experience.






    share|improve this answer




























      up vote
      0
      down vote













      I think it comes from Roman times. People who went to the toilet wriped their butt with a stick with something atratched to it, like a sponge or cloth. Obviously, if you were to get hold of the wrong end of the stick, your hands would get shitty





      share








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      Ness Whistler is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.


















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        4 Answers
        4






        active

        oldest

        votes








        4 Answers
        4






        active

        oldest

        votes









        active

        oldest

        votes






        active

        oldest

        votes








        up vote
        2
        down vote



        accepted










        Given that not a single reference work considers wrong stick as a variant of the well-known idiom, this corruption is likely to be a mistake (albeit quite possibly a deliberate one).



        The origin of the two related idioms (see below) is thought be related to argumentum baculum or the argument of the cudgel (or staff, hence stick).
        The best explanation can be found here.



        The picture is literally that of a master beating a servant. If you get the wrong end of the stick, you are the recipient of the blows from the lucky master who holds the right end.



        To say that you get the wrong end of the stick simply implies misunderstanding or wrong facts (and is not situation-specific, assuming I get the drift of your question).



        To say that you have the short (or dirty) end of the stick is to have the least desirable part of a bargain or the worst end of a bargain.



        Get hold of the wrong stick does not appear to make much sense. It implies there are a few sticks to choose from and (more implausibly) that one of them is right for the purpose. In the context provided, the author alludes to the subject's deficiency in the knowledge of English Language which could well lead to a misunderstanding on his part (a curse being misinterpreted as an actual plot to kill). It may even be the case that the distortion of this well-known idiom is deliberate and intended to disparage the Greek man's poor grasp of English.






        share|improve this answer



























          up vote
          2
          down vote



          accepted










          Given that not a single reference work considers wrong stick as a variant of the well-known idiom, this corruption is likely to be a mistake (albeit quite possibly a deliberate one).



          The origin of the two related idioms (see below) is thought be related to argumentum baculum or the argument of the cudgel (or staff, hence stick).
          The best explanation can be found here.



          The picture is literally that of a master beating a servant. If you get the wrong end of the stick, you are the recipient of the blows from the lucky master who holds the right end.



          To say that you get the wrong end of the stick simply implies misunderstanding or wrong facts (and is not situation-specific, assuming I get the drift of your question).



          To say that you have the short (or dirty) end of the stick is to have the least desirable part of a bargain or the worst end of a bargain.



          Get hold of the wrong stick does not appear to make much sense. It implies there are a few sticks to choose from and (more implausibly) that one of them is right for the purpose. In the context provided, the author alludes to the subject's deficiency in the knowledge of English Language which could well lead to a misunderstanding on his part (a curse being misinterpreted as an actual plot to kill). It may even be the case that the distortion of this well-known idiom is deliberate and intended to disparage the Greek man's poor grasp of English.






          share|improve this answer

























            up vote
            2
            down vote



            accepted







            up vote
            2
            down vote



            accepted






            Given that not a single reference work considers wrong stick as a variant of the well-known idiom, this corruption is likely to be a mistake (albeit quite possibly a deliberate one).



            The origin of the two related idioms (see below) is thought be related to argumentum baculum or the argument of the cudgel (or staff, hence stick).
            The best explanation can be found here.



            The picture is literally that of a master beating a servant. If you get the wrong end of the stick, you are the recipient of the blows from the lucky master who holds the right end.



            To say that you get the wrong end of the stick simply implies misunderstanding or wrong facts (and is not situation-specific, assuming I get the drift of your question).



            To say that you have the short (or dirty) end of the stick is to have the least desirable part of a bargain or the worst end of a bargain.



            Get hold of the wrong stick does not appear to make much sense. It implies there are a few sticks to choose from and (more implausibly) that one of them is right for the purpose. In the context provided, the author alludes to the subject's deficiency in the knowledge of English Language which could well lead to a misunderstanding on his part (a curse being misinterpreted as an actual plot to kill). It may even be the case that the distortion of this well-known idiom is deliberate and intended to disparage the Greek man's poor grasp of English.






            share|improve this answer














            Given that not a single reference work considers wrong stick as a variant of the well-known idiom, this corruption is likely to be a mistake (albeit quite possibly a deliberate one).



            The origin of the two related idioms (see below) is thought be related to argumentum baculum or the argument of the cudgel (or staff, hence stick).
            The best explanation can be found here.



            The picture is literally that of a master beating a servant. If you get the wrong end of the stick, you are the recipient of the blows from the lucky master who holds the right end.



            To say that you get the wrong end of the stick simply implies misunderstanding or wrong facts (and is not situation-specific, assuming I get the drift of your question).



            To say that you have the short (or dirty) end of the stick is to have the least desirable part of a bargain or the worst end of a bargain.



            Get hold of the wrong stick does not appear to make much sense. It implies there are a few sticks to choose from and (more implausibly) that one of them is right for the purpose. In the context provided, the author alludes to the subject's deficiency in the knowledge of English Language which could well lead to a misunderstanding on his part (a curse being misinterpreted as an actual plot to kill). It may even be the case that the distortion of this well-known idiom is deliberate and intended to disparage the Greek man's poor grasp of English.







            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited Oct 2 '13 at 15:13

























            answered Oct 2 '13 at 12:54









            user49727

            8,63431943




            8,63431943
























                up vote
                4
                down vote













                The wrong end of the stick is at Question 67813 and linked to CUP Dictionary.



                To get hold of the wrong stick is to misunderstand something completely: not even holding the right stick, let alone the right end of the stick.




                The good news might be that even though you got hold of the wrong end of the stick, you didn't get hold of the wrong stick entirely.



                The Student Room (UK)





                ... once in a while, the foodie network in Atlanta really does get hold of the wrong stick.



                Marie, Let's Eat (Woodstock GA)







                share|improve this answer























                • Conjecture? Opinion?
                  – Kris
                  Oct 2 '13 at 13:30










                • @Kris Well, there's some corroboration.
                  – Andrew Leach
                  Oct 2 '13 at 13:38















                up vote
                4
                down vote













                The wrong end of the stick is at Question 67813 and linked to CUP Dictionary.



                To get hold of the wrong stick is to misunderstand something completely: not even holding the right stick, let alone the right end of the stick.




                The good news might be that even though you got hold of the wrong end of the stick, you didn't get hold of the wrong stick entirely.



                The Student Room (UK)





                ... once in a while, the foodie network in Atlanta really does get hold of the wrong stick.



                Marie, Let's Eat (Woodstock GA)







                share|improve this answer























                • Conjecture? Opinion?
                  – Kris
                  Oct 2 '13 at 13:30










                • @Kris Well, there's some corroboration.
                  – Andrew Leach
                  Oct 2 '13 at 13:38













                up vote
                4
                down vote










                up vote
                4
                down vote









                The wrong end of the stick is at Question 67813 and linked to CUP Dictionary.



                To get hold of the wrong stick is to misunderstand something completely: not even holding the right stick, let alone the right end of the stick.




                The good news might be that even though you got hold of the wrong end of the stick, you didn't get hold of the wrong stick entirely.



                The Student Room (UK)





                ... once in a while, the foodie network in Atlanta really does get hold of the wrong stick.



                Marie, Let's Eat (Woodstock GA)







                share|improve this answer














                The wrong end of the stick is at Question 67813 and linked to CUP Dictionary.



                To get hold of the wrong stick is to misunderstand something completely: not even holding the right stick, let alone the right end of the stick.




                The good news might be that even though you got hold of the wrong end of the stick, you didn't get hold of the wrong stick entirely.



                The Student Room (UK)





                ... once in a while, the foodie network in Atlanta really does get hold of the wrong stick.



                Marie, Let's Eat (Woodstock GA)








                share|improve this answer














                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer








                edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38









                Community

                1




                1










                answered Oct 2 '13 at 13:13









                Andrew Leach

                79.4k8150256




                79.4k8150256












                • Conjecture? Opinion?
                  – Kris
                  Oct 2 '13 at 13:30










                • @Kris Well, there's some corroboration.
                  – Andrew Leach
                  Oct 2 '13 at 13:38


















                • Conjecture? Opinion?
                  – Kris
                  Oct 2 '13 at 13:30










                • @Kris Well, there's some corroboration.
                  – Andrew Leach
                  Oct 2 '13 at 13:38
















                Conjecture? Opinion?
                – Kris
                Oct 2 '13 at 13:30




                Conjecture? Opinion?
                – Kris
                Oct 2 '13 at 13:30












                @Kris Well, there's some corroboration.
                – Andrew Leach
                Oct 2 '13 at 13:38




                @Kris Well, there's some corroboration.
                – Andrew Leach
                Oct 2 '13 at 13:38










                up vote
                0
                down vote













                I have never heard anyone using "get hold of the wrong stick", but "get hold of the wrong end of the stick" is familiar. Ngram seems to corroborate this experience.






                share|improve this answer

























                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote













                  I have never heard anyone using "get hold of the wrong stick", but "get hold of the wrong end of the stick" is familiar. Ngram seems to corroborate this experience.






                  share|improve this answer























                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote









                    I have never heard anyone using "get hold of the wrong stick", but "get hold of the wrong end of the stick" is familiar. Ngram seems to corroborate this experience.






                    share|improve this answer












                    I have never heard anyone using "get hold of the wrong stick", but "get hold of the wrong end of the stick" is familiar. Ngram seems to corroborate this experience.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Oct 2 '13 at 17:39









                    Roaring Fish

                    14.2k12353




                    14.2k12353






















                        up vote
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                        I think it comes from Roman times. People who went to the toilet wriped their butt with a stick with something atratched to it, like a sponge or cloth. Obviously, if you were to get hold of the wrong end of the stick, your hands would get shitty





                        share








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                        Ness Whistler is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                          up vote
                          0
                          down vote













                          I think it comes from Roman times. People who went to the toilet wriped their butt with a stick with something atratched to it, like a sponge or cloth. Obviously, if you were to get hold of the wrong end of the stick, your hands would get shitty





                          share








                          New contributor




                          Ness Whistler is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.




















                            up vote
                            0
                            down vote










                            up vote
                            0
                            down vote









                            I think it comes from Roman times. People who went to the toilet wriped their butt with a stick with something atratched to it, like a sponge or cloth. Obviously, if you were to get hold of the wrong end of the stick, your hands would get shitty





                            share








                            New contributor




                            Ness Whistler is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.









                            I think it comes from Roman times. People who went to the toilet wriped their butt with a stick with something atratched to it, like a sponge or cloth. Obviously, if you were to get hold of the wrong end of the stick, your hands would get shitty






                            share








                            New contributor




                            Ness Whistler is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.








                            share


                            share






                            New contributor




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                            answered 7 mins ago









                            Ness Whistler

                            1




                            1




                            New contributor




                            Ness Whistler is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.





                            New contributor





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