Adverts0 min ago
play it by ear
4 Answers
where did play it by ear originate
Answers
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by belocin. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
-- answer removed --
-- answer removed --
As to the origin of the phrase, it first appeared in print in the 1830s in a comparison between Jane Austen and another writer. The other was said to know the 'science' of writing, whereas Austen "is like one who plays by ear". So, even in the earliest-recorded use of the phrase, it didn't specifically refer to musical ability...if you see what I mean!
-- answer removed --