confuse (someone or something) with (someone or something)
confuse (someone or something) with (someone or something)
1. To puzzle or perplex a person or animal by doing something in particular. I wasn't trying to confuse my students with my lesson on sine and cosine, but it seems that I have. If you're not consistent, you'll just end up confusing your dog with your commands.
2. To mistake someone or something for someone or something else. People are always confusing me with my sister because we look so much alike. Oh, I'm not a biology major—you must be confusing me with my roommate. Please don't confuse the pile of clothes I'm donating with the pile of ones I'm keeping.
See also: confuse
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
confuse someone or an animal with something
to use something to bewilder or confuse someone or an animal. You have confused me with your clever talk. You confused the dog with your orders.
See also: animal, confuse
confuse (someone) with (someone else)
and confuse (something) with (something else)to mix someone up with someone else; to mistake someone or something with something else. I'm afraid you have confused me with my brother. Don't confuse the old ones with the new ones.
See also: confuse
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
- confuse
- confuse or an animal with
- confuse with
- confuse about
- confuse about (something)
- lesson
- an object lesson
- imprint on (someone or something)
- mistake (someone or something) for (someone or something)
- mistake for