tin ear
The idiom "tin ear" is often used to describe a lack of sensitivity or appreciation in various areas such as music, language, and social interactions.
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Definition
B2Music
(informal)Inability to accurately perceive or appreciate musical tones and rhythms.
Example
- Despite his love for music, he has a tin ear and can't carry a tune.
- She enjoys concerts, but her tin ear means she can't tell when a note is off.
B2Language
(informal)Lack of sensitivity to the appropriateness or subtleties of language.
Example
- His tin ear for dialogue made the script sound awkward and unnatural.
- A writer with a tin ear might struggle to capture the nuances of different characters' speech.
B2Social Interactions
(informal)Insensitivity to social cues or the nuances of interpersonal situations.
Example
- His tin ear for social situations often leads to awkward or inappropriate comments.
- Having a tin ear in politics can result in misunderstanding public sentiment.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "tin ear":