What does the idiom ‘barking up the wrong tree’ mean?

Explanation

‘Barking up the wrong tree’ is an idiom meaning to pursue a mistaken course of action, often by blaming, suspecting, or questioning the wrong person or cause, as in ‘If you think I took your notebook, you’re barking up the wrong tree.’ The phrase originates from hunting, where a dog might mistakenly bark at the base of a tree the prey had already escaped from. Explore more English MCQs on mcqstutor to keep practicing.