Making the characteristic sharp, explosive sound of a dog, or speaking in a harsh, aggressive manner.
From Old English 'beorcan', imitative of dog sounds. The metaphorical extension to harsh human speech parallels similar developments across languages, showing universal association between dog sounds and aggressive communication.
The phrase 'barking up the wrong tree' comes from hunting dogs who would bark at the base of trees where they thought prey had climbed, sometimes being mistaken. This hunting metaphor perfectly captures how vigorous but misdirected effort can be counterproductive.
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