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To play guided by one's musical perception and intuition, rather than from a written score.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
To do by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur, often with risk of negative outcomes; to improvise.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic, intransitive, transitive
Examples
- If they ask for something we didn't prepare, we will have to play it by ear.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
36 source translations are retained for this English entry.
-
Chinese Mandarin:
憑記憶演奏 /凭记忆演奏
(píng jìyì yǎnzòu)
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
Finnish:
soittaa korvakuulolta
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
French:
jouer à l'oreille
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
Galician:
tocar de oído
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
German:
nach Gehör spielen
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
Polish:
grać ze słuchu
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
Portuguese:
tocar de memória
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
Portuguese:
tocar de ouvido
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
Romanian:
cânta după ureche
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
Spanish:
tocar de memoria
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
Spanish:
tocar de oído
— play music guided by one's musical ear
-
Chinese Mandarin:
看情況 /看情况
(kàn qíngkuàng)
— do by guessing
-
Chinese Mandarin:
到時候再說 /到时候再说
(dào shíhou zàishuō)
— do by guessing
-
Chinese Mandarin:
湊合 /凑合
(còuhe)
— do by guessing
-
Chinese Mandarin:
見機行事 /见机行事
(jiànjīxíngshì)
— do by guessing
-
Finnish:
tehdä sormituntumalta
— do by guessing
-
French:
improviser
— do by guessing
-
German:
improvisieren
— do by guessing
-
German:
spontan entscheiden
— do by guessing
-
German:
es auf sich zukommen lassen
— do by guessing
-
German:
es nehmen, wie es kommt
— do by guessing
-
German:
sehen
— do by guessing
-
German:
kucken
— do by guessing
-
Italian:
andare a sentimento
— do by guessing
-
Polish:
improwizować
— do by guessing
-
Polish:
puszczać na żywioł
— do by guessing
-
Polish:
puścić na żywioł
— do by guessing
-
Portuguese:
improvisar
— do by guessing
-
Russian:
де́йствовать по обстоя́тельствам
(déjstvovatʹ po obstojátelʹstvam)
— do by guessing
-
Russian:
импровизи́ровать
(improvizírovatʹ)
— do by guessing
-
Spanish:
ir viendo
— do by guessing
-
Spanish:
seguir nuestro instinto
— do by guessing
-
Spanish:
seguir mis instintos
— do by guessing
-
Spanish:
ver qué sucede
— do by guessing
-
Spanish:
ver lo que ocurrirá
— do by guessing
-
Spanish:
improvisar
— do by guessing
