Is there an idiom for the phrase 'that's not what I meant'?












0














I'm looking for an idiom for the phrase




'that's not what I meant'




and Google seems to be of no help whatsoever.






idioms american-english idiom-requests







share|improve this question









New contributor




theshapeofletters is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 2




    Welcome to EL&U. I've edited your question to improve appearance etc, but I recommend you edit it further to add context - e.g. is this for your general interest, or a book you're writing? Describe the situation you might use it in. Presumably you want an idiomatic expression to replace the sentence (rather than what I first thought - you wanting an idiom for the description of such an expression). For further guidance, see How to Ask and take the EL&U Tour :-)
    – Chappo
    9 hours ago






  • 2




    In what sense? Are you saying that you expressed yourself poorly, i.e., “that’s not what I meant to say, let me express it better”; or that the other person is talking about something else than you, i.e., “what are you talking about? That’s not what I said at all”?
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    9 hours ago
















0














I'm looking for an idiom for the phrase




'that's not what I meant'




and Google seems to be of no help whatsoever.






idioms american-english idiom-requests







share|improve this question









New contributor




theshapeofletters is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 2




    Welcome to EL&U. I've edited your question to improve appearance etc, but I recommend you edit it further to add context - e.g. is this for your general interest, or a book you're writing? Describe the situation you might use it in. Presumably you want an idiomatic expression to replace the sentence (rather than what I first thought - you wanting an idiom for the description of such an expression). For further guidance, see How to Ask and take the EL&U Tour :-)
    – Chappo
    9 hours ago






  • 2




    In what sense? Are you saying that you expressed yourself poorly, i.e., “that’s not what I meant to say, let me express it better”; or that the other person is talking about something else than you, i.e., “what are you talking about? That’s not what I said at all”?
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    9 hours ago














0












0








0







I'm looking for an idiom for the phrase




'that's not what I meant'




and Google seems to be of no help whatsoever.






idioms american-english idiom-requests







share|improve this question









New contributor




theshapeofletters is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











I'm looking for an idiom for the phrase




'that's not what I meant'




and Google seems to be of no help whatsoever.






idioms american-english idiom-requests




idioms american-english idiom-requests






share|improve this question









New contributor




theshapeofletters is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




theshapeofletters is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 9 hours ago









Chappo

2,62541225




2,62541225






New contributor




theshapeofletters is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









asked 9 hours ago









theshapeofletters

11




11




New contributor




theshapeofletters is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





theshapeofletters is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






theshapeofletters is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 2




    Welcome to EL&U. I've edited your question to improve appearance etc, but I recommend you edit it further to add context - e.g. is this for your general interest, or a book you're writing? Describe the situation you might use it in. Presumably you want an idiomatic expression to replace the sentence (rather than what I first thought - you wanting an idiom for the description of such an expression). For further guidance, see How to Ask and take the EL&U Tour :-)
    – Chappo
    9 hours ago






  • 2




    In what sense? Are you saying that you expressed yourself poorly, i.e., “that’s not what I meant to say, let me express it better”; or that the other person is talking about something else than you, i.e., “what are you talking about? That’s not what I said at all”?
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    9 hours ago














  • 2




    Welcome to EL&U. I've edited your question to improve appearance etc, but I recommend you edit it further to add context - e.g. is this for your general interest, or a book you're writing? Describe the situation you might use it in. Presumably you want an idiomatic expression to replace the sentence (rather than what I first thought - you wanting an idiom for the description of such an expression). For further guidance, see How to Ask and take the EL&U Tour :-)
    – Chappo
    9 hours ago






  • 2




    In what sense? Are you saying that you expressed yourself poorly, i.e., “that’s not what I meant to say, let me express it better”; or that the other person is talking about something else than you, i.e., “what are you talking about? That’s not what I said at all”?
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    9 hours ago








2




2




Welcome to EL&U. I've edited your question to improve appearance etc, but I recommend you edit it further to add context - e.g. is this for your general interest, or a book you're writing? Describe the situation you might use it in. Presumably you want an idiomatic expression to replace the sentence (rather than what I first thought - you wanting an idiom for the description of such an expression). For further guidance, see How to Ask and take the EL&U Tour :-)
– Chappo
9 hours ago




Welcome to EL&U. I've edited your question to improve appearance etc, but I recommend you edit it further to add context - e.g. is this for your general interest, or a book you're writing? Describe the situation you might use it in. Presumably you want an idiomatic expression to replace the sentence (rather than what I first thought - you wanting an idiom for the description of such an expression). For further guidance, see How to Ask and take the EL&U Tour :-)
– Chappo
9 hours ago




2




2




In what sense? Are you saying that you expressed yourself poorly, i.e., “that’s not what I meant to say, let me express it better”; or that the other person is talking about something else than you, i.e., “what are you talking about? That’s not what I said at all”?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
9 hours ago




In what sense? Are you saying that you expressed yourself poorly, i.e., “that’s not what I meant to say, let me express it better”; or that the other person is talking about something else than you, i.e., “what are you talking about? That’s not what I said at all”?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
9 hours ago










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes


















2














You can use the idiomatic expression:



a different kettle of fish.




If you say that something is a different kettle of fish, you mean that it is very different from another related thing that you are talking about.




( Collins Dictionary)






share|improve this answer





























    1















    You're talking apples and oranges.




    "A comparison of apples and oranges occurs when two items or groups of items are compared that cannot be practically compared. The idiom, comparing apples and oranges, refers to the apparent differences between items which are popularly thought to be incomparable or incommensurable, such as apples and oranges."
    source: wikipedia - Apples and Oranges






    share|improve this answer





























      0














      Generally we would say that what was meant has become "wrong"




      You got that wrong, I meant …

      You've got me/that all wrong, I meant …

      That went down the wrong way, I meant …

      Your barking up the wrong tree, I meant …

      You got the wrong end of the stick, I meant …

      You've got the wrong idea about ###, I meant …




      If I'm not wrong, there are many others.






      share|improve this answer





















        Your Answer








        StackExchange.ready(function() {
        var channelOptions = {
        tags: "".split(" "),
        id: "97"
        };
        initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

        StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
        // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
        if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
        StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
        createEditor();
        });
        }
        else {
        createEditor();
        }
        });

        function createEditor() {
        StackExchange.prepareEditor({
        heartbeatType: 'answer',
        autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
        convertImagesToLinks: false,
        noModals: true,
        showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
        reputationToPostImages: null,
        bindNavPrevention: true,
        postfix: "",
        imageUploader: {
        brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
        contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
        allowUrls: true
        },
        noCode: true, onDemand: true,
        discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
        ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
        });


        }
        });






        theshapeofletters is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










        draft saved

        draft discarded


















        StackExchange.ready(
        function () {
        StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f478537%2fis-there-an-idiom-for-the-phrase-thats-not-what-i-meant%23new-answer', 'question_page');
        }
        );

        Post as a guest















        Required, but never shown

























        3 Answers
        3






        active

        oldest

        votes








        3 Answers
        3






        active

        oldest

        votes









        active

        oldest

        votes






        active

        oldest

        votes









        2














        You can use the idiomatic expression:



        a different kettle of fish.




        If you say that something is a different kettle of fish, you mean that it is very different from another related thing that you are talking about.




        ( Collins Dictionary)






        share|improve this answer


























          2














          You can use the idiomatic expression:



          a different kettle of fish.




          If you say that something is a different kettle of fish, you mean that it is very different from another related thing that you are talking about.




          ( Collins Dictionary)






          share|improve this answer
























            2












            2








            2






            You can use the idiomatic expression:



            a different kettle of fish.




            If you say that something is a different kettle of fish, you mean that it is very different from another related thing that you are talking about.




            ( Collins Dictionary)






            share|improve this answer












            You can use the idiomatic expression:



            a different kettle of fish.




            If you say that something is a different kettle of fish, you mean that it is very different from another related thing that you are talking about.




            ( Collins Dictionary)







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 9 hours ago









            user240918

            24.7k1068148




            24.7k1068148

























                1















                You're talking apples and oranges.




                "A comparison of apples and oranges occurs when two items or groups of items are compared that cannot be practically compared. The idiom, comparing apples and oranges, refers to the apparent differences between items which are popularly thought to be incomparable or incommensurable, such as apples and oranges."
                source: wikipedia - Apples and Oranges






                share|improve this answer


























                  1















                  You're talking apples and oranges.




                  "A comparison of apples and oranges occurs when two items or groups of items are compared that cannot be practically compared. The idiom, comparing apples and oranges, refers to the apparent differences between items which are popularly thought to be incomparable or incommensurable, such as apples and oranges."
                  source: wikipedia - Apples and Oranges






                  share|improve this answer
























                    1












                    1








                    1







                    You're talking apples and oranges.




                    "A comparison of apples and oranges occurs when two items or groups of items are compared that cannot be practically compared. The idiom, comparing apples and oranges, refers to the apparent differences between items which are popularly thought to be incomparable or incommensurable, such as apples and oranges."
                    source: wikipedia - Apples and Oranges






                    share|improve this answer













                    You're talking apples and oranges.




                    "A comparison of apples and oranges occurs when two items or groups of items are compared that cannot be practically compared. The idiom, comparing apples and oranges, refers to the apparent differences between items which are popularly thought to be incomparable or incommensurable, such as apples and oranges."
                    source: wikipedia - Apples and Oranges







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered 9 hours ago









                    Jeeped

                    26719




                    26719























                        0














                        Generally we would say that what was meant has become "wrong"




                        You got that wrong, I meant …

                        You've got me/that all wrong, I meant …

                        That went down the wrong way, I meant …

                        Your barking up the wrong tree, I meant …

                        You got the wrong end of the stick, I meant …

                        You've got the wrong idea about ###, I meant …




                        If I'm not wrong, there are many others.






                        share|improve this answer


























                          0














                          Generally we would say that what was meant has become "wrong"




                          You got that wrong, I meant …

                          You've got me/that all wrong, I meant …

                          That went down the wrong way, I meant …

                          Your barking up the wrong tree, I meant …

                          You got the wrong end of the stick, I meant …

                          You've got the wrong idea about ###, I meant …




                          If I'm not wrong, there are many others.






                          share|improve this answer
























                            0












                            0








                            0






                            Generally we would say that what was meant has become "wrong"




                            You got that wrong, I meant …

                            You've got me/that all wrong, I meant …

                            That went down the wrong way, I meant …

                            Your barking up the wrong tree, I meant …

                            You got the wrong end of the stick, I meant …

                            You've got the wrong idea about ###, I meant …




                            If I'm not wrong, there are many others.






                            share|improve this answer












                            Generally we would say that what was meant has become "wrong"




                            You got that wrong, I meant …

                            You've got me/that all wrong, I meant …

                            That went down the wrong way, I meant …

                            Your barking up the wrong tree, I meant …

                            You got the wrong end of the stick, I meant …

                            You've got the wrong idea about ###, I meant …




                            If I'm not wrong, there are many others.







                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered 7 hours ago









                            KJO

                            2,434316




                            2,434316






















                                theshapeofletters is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










                                draft saved

                                draft discarded


















                                theshapeofletters is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.













                                theshapeofletters is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.












                                theshapeofletters is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
















                                Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!


                                • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                                But avoid …



                                • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                                • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


                                To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.





                                Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.


                                Please pay close attention to the following guidance:


                                • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                                But avoid …



                                • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                                • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


                                To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




                                draft saved


                                draft discarded














                                StackExchange.ready(
                                function () {
                                StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f478537%2fis-there-an-idiom-for-the-phrase-thats-not-what-i-meant%23new-answer', 'question_page');
                                }
                                );

                                Post as a guest















                                Required, but never shown





















































                                Required, but never shown














                                Required, but never shown












                                Required, but never shown







                                Required, but never shown

































                                Required, but never shown














                                Required, but never shown












                                Required, but never shown







                                Required, but never shown







                                -

                                Popular posts from this blog

                                What visual should I use to simply compare current year value vs last year in Power BI desktop

                                Image
                                0 I have column SubToBind that shows current year ratio and column PY SubToBind which shows previous year ratio. How can I simply create a card that would be displaying them both in a nice way? Something like that: I cannot achieve that with regular card, I also tried Card with States by OKViz but also unable to see both values. In KPI visual - I dont like the word "Goal", it will confuse end users. Are there any cards or other visuals that would do the job? Thanks powerbi dax powerbi-embedded share | improve this question edited Jun 11 '18 at 20:11 Oleg ...
                                Read more

                                How to ignore python UserWarning in pytest?

                                Image
                                up vote 1 down vote favorite I am using openpyxl for parsing .xlsm files, and pytest for testing. When I open a file, I get the: OpenPyxl -> UserWarning: Data Validation extension is not supported and will be removed That is not really a problem bcs. program works and I can't change the .xlsm file to fix that. But... When I run pytest with something like: def test_wrong_file_format(): assert check_excel(open_excel('file.xlsm')) == True I will get the warning i mentioned altought check_excel(open_excel('file.xlsm')) returns True and the test should suceed... Is there a nice way to tell the pytest that "It's not a bug it's a feature" and tests should pass even when they get this warning? Is there other way than using something like: with pytest.warns(UserWarning): ...
                                Read more

                                Alexandru Averescu

                                Image
                                Alexandre Averescu Alexandru Averescu Naissance 3 avril 1859 Babele, Ismail  (ro) près de Izmaïl (principauté de Moldavie) Décès 2 octobre 1938 (à 79 ans) [ 1 ] Bucarest Origine   Roumanie Arme cavalerie Grade Maréchal Années de service 1901-1917 Commandement chef d'état-major général 2 e  armée 3 e  armée Groupe d'armée sud armée du Danube Conflits Guerre russo-turque de 1877-1878 Deuxième guerre balkanique Première Guerre mondiale Faits d'armes Bataille de Turtucaia/Tutrakan Bataille de Mărăști Distinctions Autres fonctions 3 fois président du Conseil des ministres ministre des Affaires étrangères ministre sans portefeuille conseiller de la Couronne modifier   Alexandre Averescu (en roumain : Alexandru Averescu .mw-parser-output .prononciation>a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Loudspeaker.svg/11px-Loudspeaker.svg.png")center ...
                                Read more