A.Word.A.Day		About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us

Home Today's Word Yesterday's Word Archives FAQ

A.Word.A.Day--tin ear tin ear (tin eer) noun 1. Insensitivity to differences in music or speech sounds. 2. Inability to appreciate subtle differences in a particular discipline. [From the idea of metal being incapable of sensation.] "For an ex-steelworker, Doug Cameron has a tin ear. He seems deaf to the motif of the times. If you listen to Cameron - national secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Union - you'd think Qantas is a certain winner in the only market that matters: domestic." Turbulence Ahead For the Airlines; The Australian (Sydney); Oct 24, 2001. "Lloyd Ward's credibility is now under siege. Previously, he had drawn criticism for failing to disclose that he was a member of Augusta National Golf Club, which prohibits women from becoming members, a policy in direct contradiction with the Olympic movement. While Olympic committee volunteers have shown poor management skills, management types have had a tin ear for effectively running a sports union." Jere Longman; Professionalism Eludes U.S. Olympic Committee; The New York Times; Jan 26, 2003. This week's theme: metallic words used as metaphors. X-Bonus He who has imagination without learning has wings and no feet. -Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

The Book: A Word A Day is now a book. Find it in your local bookstore or at Amazon.com. "A delightful, quirky collection." -The New York Times Join Us: Subscribe to A.Word.A.Day to receive it in your mailbox every day. Interact: Bulletin board AWADtalk Moderated Chat AWADchat Readers' Voice AWADmail