cross purposesBrE /ˌkrɒs ˈpɜːpəsɪz/ 🔊NAmE /ˌkrɔːs ˈpɜːrpəsɪz/ 🔊 noun [plural] if two people are at cross purposes, they do not understand each other because they are talking about or aiming at different things, without realizing it （由于谈论或针对不同事情而未意识到的）相互不理解，相互误解◆I think we're talking at cross purposes; that's not what I meant at all. 我想我们是说到两下里去了，我根本不是那个意思。🔊🔊