If someone is 'barking up the wrong tree', what does it imply? (2019)

If someone is 'barking up the wrong tree', what does it imply? (2019)

Step 1: Understand the phrase 'barking up the wrong tree' is an idiom.
Step 2: Realize that it comes from hunting dogs that bark at the base of a tree where they think their prey is hiding.
Step 3: Recognize that if the dog is barking at the wrong tree, it means it is looking in the wrong place.
Step 4: Apply this idea to people: if someone is 'barking up the wrong tree', they are making a mistake in their actions or beliefs.
Step 5: Conclude that it means they are pursuing a mistaken or misguided course of action.

Idiom Interpretation – Understanding the meaning of idiomatic expressions and their implications in context.