Select the most appropriate meaning of the following idiom.

To bark up the wrong tree

To do something that will not get the result you want

The most appropriate meaning of the idiom to bark up the wrong tree is >To do something that will not get the result you want.<

This idiom is often used to describe someone who is trying to solve a problem or achieve a goal, but is going about it in the wrong way. The phrase is thought to have originated from the behavior of dogs, who will sometimes bark at trees that they think contain prey, even if the prey is not there.

Here are some other examples of how the idiom "to bark up the wrong tree" can be used in a sentence:

• You're barking up the wrong tree if you think you're going to get that promotion by kissing up to the boss.
• I think we're barking up the wrong tree with this investigation.
• He's been barking up the wrong tree for years, trying to find a cure for his illness.