go down the wrong way
To go down the trachea (windpipe) in one's throat instead of the esophagus (the tube in the throat for swallowed food and fluids), typically resulting in coughing or choking.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The water went down the wrong way and I started coughing.”
“I tried to drink too quickly while laughing, and the juice went down the wrong way.”
“As he attempted to swallow the dry cracker, a crumb went down the wrong way, forcing him into a fit of uncontrollable coughing.”
- 01
a little of something goes a long way
Only a small amount of something is usually required to produce a great effect.
- 02
all dressed up and nowhere to go
Elaborately attired or otherwise fully prepared for an anticipated situation or activity which, nevertheless, fails to occur.
- 03
all systems go
Everything is ready.
- 04
all the way to Egery and back
The long way; a roundabout route; a long distance to travel.
- 05
as you go
While one is doing (something); as one progresses.
- 06
bark up the wrong tree
To take the wrong approach to a situation; to follow a false lead; to attempt to solve a problem using mistaken assumptions about its true nature.
- 07
boldly go where no man has gone before
To break new ground.
- 08
by the way
Irrelevantly, off-topic.
Last updated August 10, 2026