Play it by ear
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
To handle something without a set plan, adapting as it unfolds.
Origin
From 17th-century England, tied to music; 'by ear' meant playing tunes from memory, as in a 1674 text on fiddlers. By the 19th century, it hit life, as in an 1839 'Spirit of the Times' on a fluid hunt. Jazz in the 1920s boosted it, and a 1930s film cemented it, growing from melody to a cool idiom of going with the flow.
Variants
- By ear
- Play by ear
Usage Examples
- No schedule; let's play it by ear today.
- She played it by ear and nailed the interview.
- Rain might hit, so we'll play it by ear.
Browse More