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- The phrase was originally used to describe musicians who could play just by listening to the music rather than reading the musical notes from a sheet of paper. In the 20th century, the phrase made its way mainstream when a story was published about a baseball team and the current meaning of the figurative phrase was adopted.
What's the meaning of the phrase 'Play by ear'? Initially, this referred to the playing of music without reference to printed notation. More recently it is also used figuratively to mean ‘handle a situation in an impromptu manner’, that is, without reference to pre-determined rules or guidelines.
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What does play by ear mean?
What does it mean to play a musical piece by ear?
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- Meaning of “Play It by Ear”
- Origin of “Play It by Ear”
- Using The Idiom “Play It by Ear”
- Other Idioms About Ears
When someone says, “I’ll play it by ear” they mean that they’ll handle some unplanned or unexpected coming situation in whichever way seems to work when the time comes. That is, to deal with that situation without any predetermined rules or guidelines: one would see how something goes and go along with it instead of preparing for it beforehand. Ano...
The idea of playing something by ear originally referred to the playing of music without reference to a written score. Sometimes musicians would listen to a piece of music and then try to recreate the sound. And so, a musician might learn or study music without any sheet music, so they would then play what they had heard rather than what was in the...
You would use the idiom to “play it by ear” in the following circumstances: Your friend is organising a night out, and you want to make decisions about it beforehand. She says “Let’s play it by ear,” meaning, let’s see how it goes and respond to every circumstance as it arises. You don’t have enough information to prepare for a presentation or talk...
All ears– To listen intently. Bend your ear– To talk a lot to someone, usually about a problem. Ears are burning– This expression is used when somebody has been talking about you. Have your ear to the ground – To listen out for something, to be well-informed. In one ear and out the other– To disregard what someone is saying. Lend an ear– To listen ...
play it by ear idiom meaning, origin, examples in a sentence, dark meanings, definition, synonyms, interesting facts, backstory, and the history of the phrase.
To play a musical piece by ear is to play it without recourse to a written sheet of music and dates from the early 19th century. More recently, from about the 1930s, outside of the context of music, it means to improvise or proceed with any task or project in an impromptu and unrehearsed manner.
Feb 18, 2024 · Unraveling 'Play It by Ear': Decoding a Common Phrase • Discover the true meaning and origin of the popular phrase 'Play It by Ear'.
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Jun 15, 2024 · Play It By Ear Meaning. “Play it by ear” means that you have no plan in regards to a given situation and are just going to decide your actions or reactions as the situation progresses. Origin of this idiomatic expression. This idiomatic phrase began in the world of musicians.
Apr 4, 2024 · “Play it by ear” means handling things without a strict plan. Instead, you’re open to adjusting as you go along, being flexible and adaptable.
