play it by ear

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

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“Of course I want to win, but I just want to finish each race as well as possible. Is that top 20? Top 15? I just have to play it by ear.”

Race car driver Danica Patrick, talking about how she tries to win a race (BrainyQuote)

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

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have no plan; figure out what one is doing as it happens

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

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Let’s say that you slept for too long, and now you realize that you are going to be late for school. So you jump out of bed, put on some clothes, and run out the door. You make it in class just in time, and you see the teacher is handing out a test. Oh, no! You forgot to study. It looks like you’re going to have to play it by ear.

To play it by ear means to figure out how to do something while you are doing it. There is no time to plan ahead. The expression comes from when musicians have to play an instrument, but they do not have music to read. They have to use their ears to play correctly. There are many situations in daily life when we have to play it by ear, like going to job interviews or meeting new people.

Race car driver Danica Patrick says that when it comes to racing, she just likes to play it by ear. She doesn’t say, “I am going to get first place.” She just does her best and hopes it goes well.

Do you normally like to play it by ear, or do you prefer to make plans?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

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“I’m not sure what we’re going to do in New York. We’re just going to play it by ear.”

“When it comes to dating, I just like to play it by ear.”

“John decided that he wasn’t going to write a speech for his brother’s wedding. He was just going to play it by ear.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

	to let whatever happens without planning. by La Princesse de la vie
	To improvise. by aijaciba

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