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Definition

To be tone-deaf.

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Origins

Van Gogh (a painter, not a musician) is famed for cutting off his own ear. The phrase is attributed to Billy Wilder.

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In Context

  • "After listening to Cliff Osmond, a huge, 225-pound actor, rehearse a song he was to sing as part of his role in Kiss Me, Stupid, Billy observed, not unkindly, "You have Van Gogh's ear for music.""
  • "[…] some inebriated idiot belting out a karaoke number thinking that he or she is perfectly in tune and the rest of the audience is somehow captivated by the performance — most of them have Van Gogh's ear for music."
  • "Brian had Van Gogh's ear for music. When Clint told him that he said, 'Hey, that's great, thanks Clint,' like it was a compliment."
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Related Idioms

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have another think coming

To be deluded, to be mistaken; to need to rethink something one has de…

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have another thing coming

Alternative form of have another think coming.

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have at

To attack; to engage in combat with.

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have second thoughts

To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.

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have the blues

To be depressed; to have low morale; to feel sad.

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have a cow

To get angry; have a fit.
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