What is the meaning of getting the wrong end of the stick?

It comes from the reign of Charles ll of England and the stick referred to was a 'Tally stick'. Charles used these as a way to raise money to pay for his various escapades. When a loan was made, the debt was carved in a standard fashion on the surface of a small (preferably hazel-wood) stick, and then the stick was split in half through the center of the carving.

The longer end of the IOU was given to the purchaser, and its handle was called the 'stock'...the root of the Word's use in today's markets. Even a mostly illiterate public could read the amount scratched into the wood, and the stick would only fit perfectly with its original other half. That way, when the debtor returned with the money (or goods) owed, the sticks would be matched and the debt would be "tallied."

The King borrowed more and more money using this method, and in the end, could not afford to pay off these debts. So, being the King, he declared that the debts were illegal and refused to make any payments.

Thus he stole a huge amount of the country's gold - having already spent it - and forced the young economy to fall flat on its face. The King's various creditors ended up on 'the short end of the stick' (again, this is the source of that expression) and all credit in the country evaporated pretty much overnight.

(From an article by Matt Collins)