Definition of the word wrong

Pronunciation of vocabulary wrong

wrongadjective

sai

/rɒŋ/

Definition of the word <b>wrong</b>

Origin of the word wrong

The word "wrong" has its roots in Old English and Germanic languages. The earliest recorded use of the word "wrong" dates back to around 725 AD, during the Anglo-Saxon period. The Old English word "wrang" or "wrangian" means "to twist" or "to bend", and was often used to describe something that was distorted or corrupted. Over time, the spelling and meaning of the word evolved. In Middle English (circa 1100-1500 AD), "wrong" began to take on a sense of "being in contrast to what is right or correct". This sense of moral or ethical incorrectness is still the core meaning of the word today. Despite its shift in meaning, the word "wrong" still retains a connection to its Old English roots, with the concept of "twisting" or "deviating" from a norm or standard.

Vocabulary summary wrong

typeadjective

meaningbad, not good, bad

exampleto make wrong right

exampleto know right from wrong

meaningcontradictory

exampleto be in the wrong

exampleto put someone in the wrong

examplewrong side foremost

meaningwrong, incorrect, wrong; illogical, wrong

exampleto do somebody wrong

examplewrong use of a word

exampleto be wrong

typeadverb

meaningwrong, incorrect, unworthy, bad

exampleto make wrong right

exampleto know right from wrong

meaninglost

exampleto be in the wrong

exampleto put someone in the wrong

examplewrong side foremost

meaning(figurative) fall, go astray

exampleto do somebody wrong

examplewrong use of a word

exampleto be wrong

Example of vocabulary wrongnot correct

meaning

not right or correct

không đúng hoặc đúng

  • I got all the answers wrong.

    Tôi đã trả lời sai tất cả.

  • He was driving on the wrong side of the road.

    Anh ta đã lái xe sai phần đường.

  • Sorry, I must have dialled the wrong number.

    Xin lỗi, có lẽ tôi đã gọi nhầm số.

  • You're holding the camera the wrong way up!

    Bạn đang cầm máy ảnh sai cách!

  • That picture is the wrong way round.

    Hình ảnh đó là sai cách.

  • I soon realised I'd taken a wrong turn.

    Tôi nhanh chóng nhận ra mình đã rẽ sai hướng.

  • He got all his calculations wrong.

    Anh ấy đã tính toán sai tất cả.

  • The information is just plain wrong.

    Thông tin này hoàn toàn sai.

meaning

not right about something/somebody

không đúng về cái gì/ai đó

  • I think she lives at number 44, but I could be wrong.

    Tôi nghĩ cô ấy sống ở số 44, nhưng có thể tôi đã nhầm.

  • You were wrong about Tom; he's not married after all.

    Bạn đã sai về Tom; Rốt cuộc anh ấy chưa kết hôn.

  • We were wrong to assume that she'd agree.

    Chúng tôi đã sai khi cho rằng cô ấy sẽ đồng ý.

  • She would prove him wrong (= prove that he was wrong) whatever happened.

    Cô ấy sẽ chứng minh anh ấy sai (= chứng minh rằng anh ấy sai) dù chuyện gì đã xảy ra.

  • Correct me if I'm wrong (= I may be wrong) but didn't you say you two knew each other?

    Hãy sửa tôi nếu tôi sai (= tôi có thể sai) nhưng không phải bạn đã nói hai người biết nhau sao?

  • If you think I'm happy, you're dead wrong.

    Nếu bạn nghĩ tôi hạnh phúc thì bạn đã nhầm to rồi.

  • You think you've beaten me but that's where you're wrong.

    Bạn nghĩ rằng bạn đã đánh bại tôi nhưng đó là lúc bạn sai.

  • ‘I thought this might interest you because I know you like boxing.’ ‘You're not wrong (= you are absolutely right). I love boxing.’

    ‘Tôi nghĩ điều này có thể khiến bạn quan tâm vì tôi biết bạn thích đấm bốc.’ ‘Bạn không sai (= bạn hoàn toàn đúng). Tôi yêu quyền anh.”

Extra examples:
  • You were completely wrong about Maurice. He's not leaving.

    Bạn đã hoàn toàn sai về Maurice. Anh ấy sẽ không rời đi.

  • She was able to prove him wrong.

    Cô đã có thể chứng minh anh ta sai.

  • Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't I know you?

    Hãy sửa tôi nếu tôi sai, nhưng tôi không biết bạn sao?

  • The authors are just plain wrong in their assessments.

    Các tác giả hoàn toàn sai lầm trong đánh giá của họ.

Example of vocabulary wrongcausing problems

meaning

causing problems or difficulties; not as it should be

gây rắc rối, khó khăn; không như nó phải thế

  • Is anything wrong? You look worried.

    Có gì sai sao? Bạn trông có vẻ lo lắng.

  • ‘What's wrong?’ ‘Oh, nothing.’

    ‘Có chuyện gì vậy?’ ‘Ồ, không có gì.’

  • There's something wrong with the printer.

    Có gì đó không ổn với máy in.

  • I have something wrong with my foot.

    Chân tôi có vấn đề.

  • The doctor could find nothing wrong with him.

    Bác sĩ không thể tìm ra điều gì bất thường ở anh ta.

Extra examples:
  • She was worried that there was something seriously wrong with her.

    Cô lo lắng rằng có điều gì đó không ổn nghiêm trọng xảy ra với mình.

  • I've got something wrong with my foot.

    Chân tôi có vấn đề rồi.

  • The doctor could find nothing physically wrong with him.

    Bác sĩ không thể tìm thấy điều gì bất thường về thể chất ở anh ta.

Example of vocabulary wrongnot suitable

meaning

not suitable, right or what you need

không phù hợp, đúng hoặc những gì bạn cần

  • He's the wrong person for the job.

    Anh ấy là người không phù hợp cho công việc này.

  • She's simply wrong for this job.

    Cô ấy đơn giản là sai lầm khi làm công việc này.

  • I realized that it was the wrong thing to say.

    Tôi nhận ra rằng đó là điều sai trái để nói.

  • Most people think that the country is heading in the wrong direction.

    Hầu hết mọi người đều cho rằng đất nước đang đi sai hướng.

  • It was his bad luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time (= so that he got involved in trouble without intending to).

    Đó là sự xui xẻo của anh ấy khi ở sai địa điểm, không đúng lúc (= để anh ấy gặp rắc rối mà không có ý định).

  • We don't want this document falling into the wrong hands.

    Chúng tôi không muốn tài liệu này rơi vào tay kẻ xấu.

  • She's all wrong for you.

    Cô ấy hoàn toàn sai đối với bạn.

Example of vocabulary wrongnot morally right

meaning

not morally right or honest

không đúng về mặt đạo đức hoặc trung thực

  • This man has done nothing wrong.

    Người đàn ông này không làm gì sai cả.

  • It is wrong to tell lies.

    Thật sai lầm khi nói dối.

  • It's morally wrong to kill somebody.

    Việc giết ai đó là sai về mặt đạo đức.

  • It was wrong of me to get so angry.

    Tôi đã sai khi tức giận như vậy.

  • What's wrong with eating meat?

    Ăn thịt có gì sai?

  • There's nothing inherently wrong with this type of nostalgia.

    Vốn dĩ không có gì sai với kiểu hoài niệm này.

  • It is wrong that he should not be punished for what he did.

    Thật sai lầm khi anh ta không nên bị trừng phạt vì những gì anh ta đã làm.

Extra examples:
  • It was wrong of me to lose my temper.

    Tôi đã sai khi mất bình tĩnh.

  • It is wrong that she wasn't punished for what she did.

    Thật sai lầm khi cô ấy không bị trừng phạt vì những gì mình đã làm.

  • He knows that he's done wrong.

    Anh ấy biết rằng mình đã làm sai.

  • Paying people such low wages is simply wrong.

    Trả lương thấp cho người dân như vậy là sai lầm.

  • There's nothing wrong with eating meat.

    Không có gì sai khi ăn thịt.

Words, synonyms, related vocabulary wrong

Idioms of vocabulary wrong

back the wrong horse
(British English)to support somebody/something that is not successful
be barking up the wrong tree
(informal)to have the wrong idea about how to get or achieve something
  • You're barking up the wrong tree if you're expecting us to lend you any money.
    • from/on the wrong side of the tracks
    from or living in a poor area or part of town
    get/start off on the right/wrong foot (with somebody)
    (informal)to start a relationship well/badly
  • I seem to have got off on the wrong foot with the new boss.
    • get on the right/wrong side of somebody
    to make somebody pleased with you/annoyed with you
    get out of bed on the wrong side
    to be in a bad mood for the whole day for no particular reason
    get (hold of) the wrong end of the stick
    (British English, informal)to understand something in the wrong way
    hit/strike the right/wrong note
    (especially British English)to do, say or write something that is suitable/not suitable for a particular occasion
  • It is a bizarre tale and the author hits just the right note of horror and disbelief.
  • Unfortunately, the president struck the wrong note in his speech, ignoring the public mood.
    • not far off/out/wrong
    (informal)almost correct
  • Your guess wasn't far out at all.
  • They weren't far out with their estimate of 100 000.
  • You're not far wrong when you say he's the richest guy in town.
    • on the right/wrong side of 40, 50, etc.
    (informal)younger or older than 40, 50, etc. years of age
    on the right/wrong track
    thinking or behaving in the right/wrong way
  • We haven’t found a cure yet—but we are on the right track.
  • The new manager successfully got the team back onto the right track.
  • The police were on the wrong track when they treated the case as a revenge killing.
    • on the wrong side of the law
    in trouble with the police
    rub somebody up the wrong way
    (informal)to make somebody annoyed or angry, often without intending to, by doing or saying something that offends them
  • She tends to rub people up the wrong way.
    • take something the wrong way
    to be offended by a remark that was not intended to be offensive
  • Don't take this the wrong way, but maybe you're trying a bit too hard.

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