have Van Gogh's ear for music
To be tone-deaf.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I cannot sing because I have Van Gogh's ear for music.”
“Do not ask him to join the choir, as he truly has Van Gogh's ear for music.”
“Despite his deep appreciation for the arts, he unfortunately has Van Gogh's ear for music and cannot carry a simple tune.”
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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all ears
Listening intently; fully focused.
- 02
all eyes and ears
Very attentive.
- 03
are your ears burning
Asked of somebody who was not present but was the topic of discussion.
- 04
beat someone round the ears
To beat (a person) with blows about the head.
- 05
believe one's ears
To believe that something which one hears is truly the case.
- 06
bend someone's ear
To bore; to talk too long, especially to one particular person.
- 07
box someone's ears
To slap someone on the side of the head, usually as an informal punishment.
- 08
burn someone's ears
To cause blushing of someone's ears due to strong embarrassment.
Last updated August 10, 2026