🗓️ Idiom: Talk at Cross Purposes (verb phrase)
💬 Meaning
- To misunderstand each other while talking.
- To talk about different things without realizing it.
🧠 Example Sentences
- We were talking at cross purposes and didn’t realize it until later.
- The manager and the client were talking at cross purposes during the call.
- Make sure everyone is on the same page, so we don’t talk at cross purposes.
🏛️ Origin
The phrase comes from 16th-century English, where “cross purposes” meant opposing intentions. By the 19th century, it was used to describe conversations where people misunderstand each other and talk about different things.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
“They were __________ at cross purposes and missed the main point.”
Answer
talking
2. Multiple choice:
What does “talk at cross purposes” mean?
a) To have a clear, direct conversation
b) To misunderstand each other while talking
c) To speak in a foreign language
Answer
b) To misunderstand each other while talking
3. Change the sentence using “talk at cross purposes”:
During the meeting, they were talking about different subjects without realising it.
Answer
During the meeting, they were talking at cross purposes.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
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👉 Main Idioms Page
👉 Idioms for Communication
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