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3. amiss

amiss

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take something amiss

 and take something the wrong way

to understand something as wrong or insulting. Would you take it amiss if I told you I thought you look lovely? I was afraid you'd take it the wrong way.

See also: amiss, take

take something the wrong way

to fail to understand a statement or situation correctly A lot of people take his confidence the wrong way, mistaking it for arrogance. She feels like every word she says is taken the wrong way.

See also: take, way, wrong

not go amiss

  (British, American & Australian informal) also not come amiss (British & Australian informal)

if something would not go amiss, it would be useful and might help to improve a situation (usually in conditional tenses) A word of apology would not go amiss. Some extra helpers never come amiss.

See also: amiss

take something the wrong way

to feel that someone is criticizing you when in fact they are not Don't take this the wrong way, Jonathan, but at 33 aren't you getting a bit old for this game? If ever I make a suggestion, she always takes it the wrong way and we end up arguing.

See be barking up the wrong tree, get out of bed on the wrong side, the other side of the tracks, back the wrong horse, fall into the wrong hands, rub up the wrong way

See also: take, way, wrong

amiss

see under take the wrong way.

take the wrong way

Also, take amiss. Misunderstand, misinterpret, especially so as to take offense. For example, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but you have to give others a chance to speak , or Please don't take their criticism amiss; they mean well. The variant dates from the late 1300s. Also see get someone wrong.

See also: take, way, wrong