The two friends find themselves at cross-purposes with the officials.
这两个朋友发现他们与这些官员无法互相理解。
《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》
2
To help deal with that, a number of grouplet organizers meet once a week to make sure they are not at cross-purposes.
要想帮助解决这个问题，小组的一些组织者们要每星期碰面一次，以确保他们之间不会相互误解。
3
Jim Guy Tucker was lieutenant governor, probably the ablest person ever to hold the job, and we were working together, rather than at cross-purposes, for the first time in years.