tin ear

tin ear
Insensitivity to and inability to appreciate the elements of performed music or the rhythm, elegance, or nuances of language.

Despite their careless scholarship and a less tangible quality that some would call a tin ear for poetry, Morris Halle and S. J. Keyser, as metrists, have the considerable virtue of explicitness.


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  • tin ear — tin′ ear′ n. 1) an insensitivity to or inability to distinguish differences in musical sound 2) an insensitivity to subtlety in verbal expression …   From formal English to slang

  • tin ear — ☆ tin ear n. Informal a lack of discriminating sensitivity to music, speech, etc …   English World dictionary

  • tin ear — noun 1. an inability to distinguish differences in pitch • Syn: ↑tone deafness • Hypernyms: ↑deafness, ↑hearing loss 2. insensitivity to the appropriateness or subtlety of language he has a tin ear for dialogue • Hyp …   Useful english dictionary

  • tin ear — {n. phr.} 1. A lack of sensitivity to noise. * /The construction noise doesn t bother Fred; he s got a tin ear./ 2. A lack of musical ability; state of being tone deaf. * /People with a tin ear make poor choir members./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • tin ear — {n. phr.} 1. A lack of sensitivity to noise. * /The construction noise doesn t bother Fred; he s got a tin ear./ 2. A lack of musical ability; state of being tone deaf. * /People with a tin ear make poor choir members./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • tin\ ear — n. phr. 1. A lack of sensitivity to noise. The construction noise doesn t bother Fred; he s got a tin ear. 2. A lack of musical ability; state of being tone deaf. People with a tin ear make poor choir members …   Словарь американских идиом

  • tin ear — 1. an insensitivity to melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic variety in music. 2. an insensitivity to subtlety or appropriateness in verbal expression: a tin ear for clear, precise prose. 3. See cauliflower ear. [1915 20] * * * …   Universalium

  • tin ear — unmusical ear, unable to appreciate music    With my tin ear, I couldn t say if she was singing flat …   English idioms

  • tin ear — noun Date: 1935 a deafened or insensitive ear …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • (a) tin ear — informal if someone has a tin ear, they do not have a natural ability to understand or enjoy music. Even to someone with a tin ear like mine, their singing sounded pretty awful …   New idioms dictionary

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