get (hold of) the wrong end of the stick

informal

to not understand a situation correctly.

Her friend saw us arrive at the party together and got hold of the wrong end of the stick.

I said how nice he was and Julie got the wrong end of the stick and thought I wanted to go out with him.

• put a spanner in the works
• put a spoke in someone's wheel
• put a spoke in wheel
• put a spotlight on
• put a spotlight on someone
• put a spotlight on something
• put a stop to
• put a stop to something
• put at odds with
• put at odds with someone
• put away
• put away someone
• put away something
• put back into
• put back into something
• put back on the rails
• put back on track
• put back up
• put behind
• put behind someone
• put behind something
• put behind you
• put best foot forward
• put cards on the table
• put down roots