to take a wrong turn
20
3.9
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
tomar un camino equivocado
- After driving for hours, we realized we had taken a wrong turn and ended up far from our destination.
- took a wrong turn somewhere
- maybe we took a wrong turn
- think I took a wrong turn
I, I think that humans took a wrong turn in our development.
- I, I think that humans took a wrong turn in our development.
- But just as he was getting started, things took a wrong turn.
- I think that Einstein had a very promising start, but then took a wrong turn, and recently I've begun to wonder whether anyone even still knows of his starting idea.
- Yeah, plus sniper support, because I mean, if he takes a wrong turn, then the Nets worthless.
- So yeah, some of the best people I've met, good quality people, you know, I mean, you've took a wrong turn.
Examples
-
We must have taken a wrong turn back there.
-
We took a wrong turn somewhere and got lost.
-
I think we might have taken a wrong turn.
-
Okay, I may have taken a wrong turn a few miles back.
-
I must have taken a wrong turn or something.
-
I guess I took a wrong turn.
-
I took a wrong turn.
Fiction book (2000) -
I think I took a wrong turn off of the exit.
-
I think we took a wrong turn a mile or so back.
-
I told you we took a wrong turn at that last bog.
Synonyms
495
2.4
To fail or happen in a bad way
48
3.0
To hesitate or make a small mistake when speaking
38
6.1
Fail to do something you are responsible for
37
9.9
To do something badly and ruin how it turns out
15
6.5
To be wrong about who or what caused something
7
4.4
To make a careless mistake by acting or speaking without thinking
3
7.9
To fail or go badly wrong, especially a plan
1
4.2
Do something that is a serious and embarrassing mistake
To make a serious, embarrassing mistake by being careless
To have unexpected problems because of your own mistake
How Serious
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal parts ('take' + 'wrong' + 'turn') create a clear image of choosing an incorrect route, which maps naturally onto the idea of making a mistaken decision; this spatial/path metaphor is common across languages. However, the meaning is a metaphorical extension from physical movement to decision-making rather than a purely compositional sense, so learners may need to recognize the metaphor to be certain of the idiomatic meaning.
Etymology
The phrase take a wrong turn comes from the simple image of travelling and taking the wrong turn into a road, so you go the wrong way and get lost or delayed. That's why people use take a wrong turn to mean 'make a mistake' or choose a bad path.