subs. (rowing).—An oar who, from incompetence or accident, is unable to do his share of the work.
TO WAKE UP THE WRONG PASSENGER, verb. phr. (American).—To ‘mistake one’s man’; to commit an error of judgment in regard to character, action, or motive. [From transcontinental travel.]
1855. HALIBURTON (‘Sam Slick’), Nature and Human Nature, 289. ‘Poor, ignorant wretch!’ ‘Massa,’ replied the negro, ‘you have WAKED UP DE WRONG PASSENGER dis time. I isn’t poor. I ab plenty to eat and plenty to drink.’
1871. Evening Post (Chicago), 21 April. He had clearly found out that in making the attack he had WAKED UP THE WRONG PASSENGER.
