In various combinations and phrases: e.g., WRONG IN THE UPPER-STOREY = crazy; IN THE WRONG BOX = mistaken, embarrassed, in jeopardy; THE WRONG END OF THE STICK = the worst of a position, the false of a story; TO WAKE UP THE WRONG PASSENGER = to make a mistake in the individual, ‘to get the wrong sow by the ear’; TO LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE MOUTH = to cry; TO GET OUT OF (or RISE OUT OF) THE WRONG (or RIGHT) SIDE OF THE BED = a happy augury (or the reverse).
1554. RIDLEY (‘Foxe,’ 1838), vi. 438. Sir, quoth I, if you will hear how St. Augustine expoundeth that place, you shall perceive that you are IN A WRONG BOX.
1588. J. UDALL, The State of the Church of England, etc., p. 31 (ARBER’S ed.). I perceiue that you and I are IN A WRONG BOXE.
1598. JONSON, Every Man in his Humour, ii. 1. He has THE WRONG SOW BY THE EAR, i’ faith; and CLAPS HIS DISH AT THE WRONG MAN’S DOOR.
1605. CHAPMAN and JONSON, Eastward Ho, ii. 1. YOU HAVE THE SOW BY THE RIGHT EAR, sir.
1607. MARSTON, What You Will, v., 1 [Works (1633), sig. Rb]. You RISE ON YOUR RIGHT SIDE to-day, marry.
1614. Terence in English [NARES].
| C. What doth shee keepe house alreadie? | |
| D. Alreadie. | |
| C. O good God: WE ROSE ON THE RIGHT SIDE to-day. |
c. 1620. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, Women Pleased, i., 3. Clau. You RISS OF YOUR RIGHT SIDE.
1633. L. MACHIN, The Dumb Knight, iv. 1.
| Sure I said my prayers, RIS’D ON MY RIGHT SIDE … | |
| No hare did cross me, nor no bearded witch, | |
| Nor other ominous sign. |
1664. BUTLER, Hudibras, II. iii. 580. You have a WRONG SOW BY THE EAR.
1714. T. LUCAS, Memoirs of Gamesters, etc., 65. But tho’ he laugh’d; ’twas on the WRONG SIDE OF HIS MOUTH.
d. 1731. WARD, Merry Observations upon Every Month, June. Those that happen to HAVE THE WRONG SOW BY THE EAR will be very apt to curse the shortness of the Vacation.
1751. SMOLLETT, Peregrine Pickle, xliii. ‘That, I grant you, must be confessed: doctor, I’m afraid we have got INTO THE WRONG BOX.’
1771. SMOLLETT, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker [SAINTSBURY (1900), i. 81]. You know, my dear friend, how natural it is for us Irishmen to blunder, and TO TAKE THE WRONG SOW BY THE EAR.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. LAUGH.
1823. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. LAUGH.
1826. BUCKSTONE, The Death Fetch, i. 4. Snapsch. (Aside.) And have a pretty family of them about my ears the first time I’m left alone in the dark, who would soon make me LAUGH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MY MOUTH, I fancy.
1836. MARRYAT, Mr. Midshipman Easy, x. 48. ‘It’s the first time I ever heard a middy do such a bold thing: take care your rights of man don’t get you IN THE WRONG BOX—there’s no arguing on board of a man-of-war.’
1837. CARLYLE, The Diamond Necklace, iii. By and by thou wilt LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THY FACE.
