get one's wires crossed
get (one's) wires crossed
1. Of oneself, to be or become confused, mistaken, or mentally disordered (about something). An allusion to telephone lines being wrongly connected and thus disrupting calls. I'm sorry for bringing you the wrong order, sir, I've been getting my wires crossed all day! Wow, it sounds like you really got your wires crossed about how to process that shipment!
2. Of two or more people, to have a miscommunication between one another, resulting in a mistake or misunderstanding. I'm sorry about all the confusion regarding the contract, Bob; it looks like we got our wires crossed somehow. I think Mary and Robert's fight is really just the because they got their wires crossed.
See also: crosse, get, wire
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
get one's wires crossed
Also, have one's wires crossed. Become or be confused or mistaken about something, as in If you think there's a meeting today, you really have your wires crossed; it's not till next month . This expression transfers a wrongly wired telephone or telegraph connection to human misunderstanding. [Colloquial; early 1900s]
See also: crosse, get, wire
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- get (one's) wires crossed
- get your wires crossed
- have (one's) wires crossed
- have wires crossed
- exit
- exit stage left
- off base
- way off base
- make a mess of
- make a mess/hash of something/of doing something