cross-purpose

Related to cross-purpose: follow suit, catch up, in the first place, rest on, rub off, the likes of, turn up

cross-pur·pose

(krôs′pûr′pəs, krŏs′-)

A usually unintentionally conflicting or contrary purpose.

Idiom:

at cross-purposes

Pursuing conflicting or contrary goals, usually unintentionally: We're working at cross-purposes.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cross-purpose

1. a contrary aim or purpose

2. at cross-purposes conflicting; opposed; disagreeing

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cross′-pur′pose

an opposing or contrary purpose.

Idioms:

at cross-purposes, in a way that involves mutual misunderstanding or produces mutual frustrations, usu. unintentionally.

[1660–70]

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Noun

cross-purpose - a contrary aim; "at cross-purposes"

aim, intent, intention, purpose, design - an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions; "his intent was to provide a new translation"; "good intentions are not enough"; "it was created with the conscious aim of answering immediate needs"; "he made no secret of his designs"

References in classic literature ?

General Bagovut, a fighting old soldier of placid temperament, being also upset by all the delay, confusion, and cross-purposes, fell into a rage to everybody's surprise and quite contrary to his usual character and said disagreeable things to Toll.

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It is needless to go into a detail of the variety of accidents and cross-purposes, which caused the failure of his scheme.

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You and I are at cross-purposes. If you like, you shall have the truth from me."

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I thought, moreover, that I discovered signs of cross-purposes, as between the young people, though I think a pocket-handkerchief subject to those general laws, concerning secrets, that are recognized among all honorable persons.

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It may easily be imagined what a series of misunderstandings and cross-purposes would be likely to take place between such a crew and such a commander.

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We were at cross-purposes. But, before I could reply, he showed me an open manuscript on his table, and said, in a more serious tone, "Here, M.

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Horror smote her to the heart, for even she began to suspect that they were at cross-purposes, and that she had commenced her mission by some hideous blunder.

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Clifford saw, it may be, in the mirror of his deeper consciousness, that he was an example and representative of that great class of people whom an inexplicable Providence is continually putting at cross-purposes with the world: breaking what seems its own promise in their nature; withholding their proper food, and setting poison before them for a banquet; and thus--when it might so easily, as one would think, have been adjusted otherwise--making their existence a strangeness, a solitude, and torment.

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His character will be pitted against Lange's character and he will be seen working at cross-purpose with her.

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East London (S.Africa), Jan.27 (ANI): Outgoing South African cricket team coach Mickey Arthur today said that he resigned because his vision for the national squad was at cross-purpose to the plans being decided by Cricket South Africa.