go down the wrong way

verb

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.

“She took a big drink of milk and it went down the wrong way. She was coughing for the next two minutes.”

Similar
go down the wrong pipego down the wrong throat
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Meanings

verbgo down the wrong way (third-person singular simple present goes down the wrong way, present participle going down the wrong way, simple past went down the wrong way, past participle gone down the wrong way)

present singular third person goes down the wrong way · participle present going down the wrong way · past went down the wrong way · participle past gone down the wrong way

  1. idiomaticTo 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.

    She took a big drink of milk and it went down the wrong way. She was coughing for the next two minutes.

    Synonyms: go down the wrong pipe, go down the wrong throat

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo 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.

Similar
go down the wrong pipego down the wrong throat
Also see
go down the wrong pipego down the wrong throat

Translations

Finnish mennä väärään kurkkuun
  • mennä väärään kurkkuunof food or drink: to go down the trachea
German in den falschen Hals kriegen
  • in den falschen Hals kriegenof food or drink: to go down the trachea
Hungarian cigányútra megy, félremegy
  • cigányútra megyof food or drink: to go down the trachea
  • félremegyof food or drink: to go down the trachea
Russian попа́сть не в то го́рло
  • попа́сть не в то го́рло (popástʹ ne v to górlo)of food or drink: to go down the trachea
Swedish sätta i vrångstrupen
  • sätta i vrångstrupenof food or drink: to go down the trachea
Cite this entry
APA

go down the wrong way. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20down%20the%20wrong%20way

MLA

“go down the wrong way.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20down%20the%20wrong%20way. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “go down the wrong way,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20down%20the%20wrong%20way.

Source: go down the wrong way on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.