have an ear for (something)

have an ear for (something)

To be particularly good at listening to and then repeating or understanding music, poetry, or foreign languages. I'm not very good at writing it, but I have quite an ear for Japanese. My sister has an ear for classical music. She can pick up on all sorts of layers and nuances that I would never notice.See also: ear, have

have an ear for something

Fig. to have the ability to learn music or languages. Bill doesn't have an ear for music. He can't carry a tune. Mary has a good ear for languages.See also: ear, have

have an ear for something

1. If you have an ear for something, such as music or languages, you are able to learn it quickly, partly by listening to it and repeating it. He had an ear for languages, and by this time he spoke five fluently.2. If you have an ear for the way in which people speak, you notice it and are able to repeat it in writing. Her great strength as a writer was her ear for dialogue. Compare with have a tin ear for something.See also: ear, have, something

have an ˈear for something

be able to recognize and copy sounds well: The child certainly has an ear for music.See also: ear, have, something