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How do you explain play it by ear?
Definition of play it by ear : to do something without special preparation I don’t know how they’ll react to our proposal, so we’ll just have to play it by ear and hope for the best.
What is an example of play it by ear?
to decide what to do when you know what is happening, rather than planning in advance: “I can’t tell you what to expect.” “Don’t worry, I’ll play it by ear.”
Who came up with the saying play it by ear?
A little over a century later, people began using “play by ear” (or a close facsimile) to mean play an instrument without the aid of written music. The OED’s first citation for the newer usage is from A Breif Introduction to the Skill of Musick (1658), by John Playford: “To learn to play by rote or ear without book.”
What does the saying play it by year mean?
It means that one would see how something goes and go along with it instead of preparing for it beforehand. Another way of describing the phrase would be paying close attention to surroundings and being flexible enough to change actions based on what happens.
How do you use the word play by ear in a sentence?
— Let’s make a plan for tomorrow. Whenever we play it by ear we just stay home and don’t do anything at all. — I hope the director will be able to do the opening remarks but if not, we’ll have to play it by ear. — Let’s play it by ear and not reserve a ride back to the hotel.
How do you respond to Let’s play it by ear?
Let’s just play things by ear.” If someone says ‘Let’s play it by ear’ to you, you can reply using phrases like ‘sounds good’ (=yes, I agree) or ‘don’t you think we should make a plan? ‘ (=no, let’s make a plan). Another idiom with a similar meaning is ‘go with the flow.
What does having a cake and eating it too mean?
: to have or enjoy the good parts of something without having or dealing with the bad parts They seem to think they can have their cake and eat it too by having excellent schools for their son without paying high taxes.
Is play it by year a saying?
The term “play it by year” does not mean anything. It is easy to see how the term emerged, as it sounds similar to “play it by ear” and is plausible enough to mean something. However, the specific term does not have a set definition.
What is the meaning of pay by ear?
to decide how to deal with a situation as it develops, rather than acting according to plans made earlier: We can’t make a decision yet. Let’s just play it by ear. Reacting and responding. backlash.
What is the saying play it by ear or play it by year?
It means that they have listened to it so many times that they are able to reproduce the notes from memory. There is no obvious single meaning for the expression ‘play it by year’ but it might be possible to think of one!
Where did the phrase play it by year come from?
The phrase originated in music when musicians would listen to a piece of music and then try to recreate the sound. Another way of describing the origin is that a musician would learn or study music without any sheet music, so they could then play what they hear.
Can someone learn to play by ear?
Playing by ear is a highly desired skill among musicians. Although many assume you need to be born a natural to do it, in fact playing music by ear requires a collection of skills which can all be learned.
What does it mean when a girl plays with her ear?
Any kind of self-grooming gesture around the face—like tucking her hair behind one ear, or playing with her earring—indicates that she’s primping herself to make a good impression, according to body language research.
Is the saying play it by ear or play it by year?
Although play it by ear is the original version and by far the most common one, play it by year sounds plausible enough to some people that it has become that oddity linguists call an eggcorn.
Why is it out of the blue?
When something happens out of the blue, it is a complete surprise. If you get a phone call out of the blue from an old friend, it’s utterly unexpected. Use the phrase out of the blue when you need a casual way to describe something that surprises you and possibly seems to come from nowhere.
What does’play it by ear’mean?
This expression, which is mostly used in informal contexts, comes from the world of music. When a musician ‘plays it by ear’, he attempts to play or reproduce a piece of music without looking at the music sheet. He plays the piece from memory, and uses his ears to determine if what he is playing is correct or not.
What does it mean to’play it by ear’?
This expression, which is mostly used in informal contexts, comes from the world of music. When a musician ‘plays it by ear’, he attempts to play or reproduce a piece of music without looking at the music sheet.
How do you respond when someone says ‘Let’s play it by ear?
If someone says ‘Let’s play it by ear’ to you, you can reply using phrases like ‘sounds good’ (=yes, I agree) or ‘don’t you think we should make a plan?’ (=no, let’s make a plan).