All Wet, To Be
“All wet, to be” - To be completely mistaken. The expression is American slang that became current in the first half of the twentieth century. It is not known what wet refers to—soaked from a rainstorm or dunking, drunk and therefore incapable of good judgment, or something else.
Synonyms:
- Barking up the wrong tree 🌳
- Off the mark 🎯
- Way off base ⚾️
- In the wrong ballpark 🏟️
Antonyms:
- On point 🎯
- Spot on 🌟
- Hitting the nail on the head 🔨
- Right on the money 💰
Humor-filled Quotes:
- “She thought a hedgehog was a cranberry—that girl was all wet!”
- “If a dunking in the Atlantic doesn’t clear your head, maybe you’re just all wet forever.”
Related Proverbs and Expressions:
- “Can’t see the forest for the trees 🌲🌳.” (Focusing on small details and missing the big picture)
- “A fish out of water 🐟.” (Someone uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings)
References in Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies:
- Literature: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Books: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (for explaining misunderstandings)
- Songs: “Oops!… I Did It Again” by Britney Spears 🎶 (for repetitive mistakes)
- Movies: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1996) (for humorous situations of being mistaken)
### Which of these phrases means 'completely mistaken'?
- [x] All wet
- [ ] Swimming like a dolphin
- [ ] Fluffed and buffed
- [ ] Rocking the boat
> **Explanation:** "All wet" is the idiom used to describe someone who is completely wrong. The other options, though amusing, are purely fictitious.
### Which term is synonymous with 'all wet'?
- [ ] In the right ballpark
- [ ] Hitting the nail on the head
- [x] Barking up the wrong tree
- [ ] Spot on
> **Explanation:** "Barking up the wrong tree" means being completely mistaken, much like "all wet."
### True or False: The origin of "all wet" is definitively known.
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** The exact origin of the idiom "all wet" is unknown. It's speculated to relate to being either literally soaked or metaphorically drunk but lacks definitive evidence.
Farewell and keep your umbrella handy in the storm of mistaken ideas! – I. M. Soaked
