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mistake for

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mistake (someone) for (someone else)

 and mix (someone) up with (someone else)

to confuse someone with someone else; to think that one person is another person. I'm sorry. I mistook you for John. Tom is always mistaking Bill for me. We don't look a thing alike, though. Try not to mix Bill up with Bob, his twin.

See also: mistake

mistake (something) for (something else)

 and mix (something) up with (something else)

to confuse two things with each other. Please don't mix this idea up with that one. I mistook my book for yours.

See also: mistake

mistake somebody/something for somebody/something

to think that a person or thing is really someone or something else The prison buildings could almost be mistaken for a college campus.

See also: mistake

mistake for

Take someone or something for someone or something else, as in I'm sorry, I mistook you for her sister, or Don't mistake that friendly smile for good intentions; he's a tough competitor. [c. 1600]

See also: mistake

mistake for

v.

To wrongly perceive that someone or something is someone or something else: I'm sorry to have bothered you—I mistook you for a friend of mine. Don't mistake the poison ivy for a box elder vine!

See also: mistake