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Difficulty: MediumIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

Following weeks of fruitless investigation into the company's missing funds, the senior auditor realized he was barking up the wrong tree by focusing solely on the junior clerks. Which of the following best expresses the meaning of the underlined idiomatic expression?

  1. Pursuing an entirely mistaken course of action or line of inquiryAnswer
  2. B
    Shouting aggressively at subordinates during an official interrogation
  3. C
    Failing to inspect the physical landscape surrounding the office building
  4. D
    Promoting the junior clerks to executive management roles immediately

Answer

Pursuing an entirely mistaken course of action or line of inquiry
The idiom 'barking up the wrong tree' originates from hunting dogs barking at the base of a tree where they mistakenly believe their prey is hiding. In modern usage, it figuratively describes pursuing a mistaken course of action, following a false lead, or accusing the wrong person. In the given context, the auditor realized that focusing his investigation on junior clerks was the wrong approach.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the idiomatic expression in the sentence.
The target phrase is 'barking up the wrong tree'.
The question requires evaluating the figurative meaning of this specific expression.
2
Analyze the sentence context.
The senior auditor spent weeks investigating junior clerks without success before realizing his assumption about their involvement was wrong.
Contextual clues indicate that focusing on the junior clerks was an incorrect approach.
3
Select the option that reflects the established figurative definition.
'Barking up the wrong tree' figuratively means pursuing a mistaken line of thought or misdirecting one's efforts.
Idioms are non-literal; the correct interpretation reflects misdirected effort rather than physical barking or trees.

Key Concept

Interpretation of English Idioms in Context
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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