at cross purposes
Meaning: To misunderstand each other or work toward conflicting goals.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The architect and the client were at cross purposes from the first meeting.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: "Cross purposes" was a 17th-century parlor game of mismatched questions and answers. The phrase is found from the same period.
Equivalents in other languages
- Chinese: 鸡同鸭讲 (jī tóng yā jiǎng) — literally: A chicken talking to a duck
- French: Tirer à hue et à dia — literally: To pull to hue and to dia
More idioms — Daily Life
- a Bible thumper — A person who is aggressively or tiresomely religious.
- be a doormat — To let others treat one badly without protest.
- thick as thieves — Very close friends who share secrets.
- a whole different ball game — A completely different situation.
- not mince one's words — To speak frankly, even bluntly.
- thick and fast — Rapidly and in large numbers.
More English idioms
- one swallow does not make a summer — One good sign does not mean things will continue that way.
- walk into the lion's den — To go deliberately into a dangerous or hostile place.
- an old sea dog — An experienced old sailor.
- have eyes like a hawk — To have very sharp eyesight, or to notice every detail.
- separate the wheat from the chaff — To distinguish what is valuable from what is worthless.
- elbow grease — Hard physical work, especially scrubbing or polishing.
From our proverbs
- On the sea sail; on the land settle. — Venture boldly where uncertainty reigns, but root yourself firmly where stability matters…
- Everything is good in its season. — Timing determines value—what flourishes in spring withers in winter, and forcing things o…
- To everything there is a season; and a time to every purpose under heaven. — Each life phase demands different actions; wisdom lies in recognizing what moment require…