play by ear en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
- (intransitive, of music, transitive) To play guided by one's musical perception and intuition, rather than from a written score.
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(idiomatic, intransitive, transitive) To do by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur, often with risk of negative outcomes; to improvise.
If they ask for something we didn't prepare, we will have to play it by ear.
There over, hereunder / Or up above, don't wonder / We can always play by ear / But that's the deal, my dear
2001 August 30, Shakira, “Whenever, Wherever”, in Laundry Service:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| plays by ear | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| played by ear | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| played by ear | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| playing by ear | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Relateds
Synonyms
fly by the seat of one's pants (do by guessing, intuition, etc, reacting to events as they occur) · wing it (do by guessing, intuition, etc, reacting to events as they occur) · make it up as one goes along (do by guessing, intuition, etc, reacting to events as they occur)
Translations (36)
de es auf sich zukommen lassen (do by guessing) · ru импровизи́ровать (do by guessing) · es ver qué sucede (do by guessing) · es tocar de memoria (play music guided by one's musical ear) · es seguir nuestro instinto (do by guessing) · es ir viendo (do by guessing) · es improvisar (do by guessing) · fi soittaa korvakuulolta (play music guided by one's musical ear) · pl grać ze słuchu (play music guided by one's musical ear) · cmn 湊合 /凑合 (do by guessing) · pt improvisar (do by guessing) · fr jouer à l'oreille (play music guided by one's musical ear) · de kucken (do by guessing) · es tocar de oído (play music guided by one's musical ear) · cmn 憑記憶演奏 /凭记忆演奏 (play music guided by one's musical ear) · fr improviser (do by guessing) · pl improwizować (do by guessing) · es ver lo que ocurrirá (do by guessing) · de sehen (do by guessing) · ro cânta după ureche (play music guided by one's musical ear) · pl puścić na żywioł (do by guessing) · fi tehdä sormituntumalta (do by guessing) · ru де́йствовать по обстоя́тельствам (do by guessing) · pl puszczać na żywioł (do by guessing) · es seguir mis instintos (do by guessing) · gl tocar de oído (play music guided by one's musical ear) · cmn 見機行事 /见机行事 (do by guessing) · de spontan entscheiden (do by guessing) · de es nehmen, wie es kommt (do by guessing) · pt tocar de memória (play music guided by one's musical ear) · de improvisieren (do by guessing) · pt tocar de ouvido (play music guided by one's musical ear) · de nach Gehör spielen (play music guided by one's musical ear) · it andare a sentimento (do by guessing) · cmn 到時候再說 /到时候再说 (do by guessing) · cmn 看情況 /看情况 (do by guessing)