1. make a wrong choice or a false assumption; to ask the wrong person; to follow the wrong course

1. 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.

2. If he thinks that I’m going to help him paint his house, well he’s barking up the wrong tree.

3. If you think I’m the guilty person, you’re barking up the wrong tree.

4. The hitters blamed the team’s bad record on the pitchers, but they were barking up the wrong tree.