tone-deaf

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tone-deaf

(tōn′dĕf′)

adj.

1. Unable to distinguish differences in musical pitch.

2. Unable to appreciate or understand the concerns or difficulties of others; out-of-touch.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

tone-deaf

adj

(Pathology) unable to distinguish subtle differences in musical pitch

tone deafness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

tone′-deaf`

adj.

unable to distinguish differences in musical sounds when producing or hearing them.

[1890–95]

tone′ deaf`ness, n.

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Adj.

tone-deaf - unable to appreciate music

deaf - lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing wholly or in part

Translations

tone-deaf

[ˈtəʊnˈdef] ADJ → que no tiene oído musical

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

tone-deaf

[ˌtəʊnˈdɛf] adj → stonato/a, completamente privo/a di orecchio (musicale)

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

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References in periodicals archive ?

A tone-deaf socialite who imagines she is a great singer is indulged by her conniving husband.

WHAT TO WATCH TODAY; Talk TV

People have been vocal about their woes but there is no lack of tone-deaf responses.

Minister's silly statement

They are trying to dictate to local people where the new hospital is to be located; they are tone-deaf to the opinions of local people.

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The noise echoing up from the street sounded like an orchestra of tone-deaf toddlers.

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Summery clothes in cold January raise eyebrows among passers-by; suffering parents clutch their ears in March, with their tone-deaf off-spring's band; April's tidying of your room may be well-intentioned but makes more muddle than before.

Yeoman, John and Blake, Quentin: All the Year Round

But with the troupe having graduated university, the tone-deaf scriptwriters have no idea what to do with them.

PITCH PERFECT[...]

There are certainly many tone-deaf bishops and priests unbothered by the present missal, which scuttled a fine 1998 translation the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), the English-speaking bishops' organization mandated by Vatican II directives.

Liturgical words

In (http://www.ibtimes.com/trumps-latest-tweets-puerto-rico-are-tone-deaf-idiotic-2601079) tweets regarding issues such as the Puerto Rico relief crisis, Trump was quickly considered "tone-deaf" and "idiotic" by international singer Marc Anthony.  

Trump Erroneously Credits Rise In UK Crime To 'Islamic Terror'

A model from the 'tone-deaf' Dove ad has spoken up on the issue, citing that she isn't a 'victim of a mistaken beauty campaign.'

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Musician Shubha Mudgal is all for Bollywood actors who choose to sing, but is wary of the use of software that can "turn a tone-deaf actor into a singer".

Shubha Mudgal weighs in on auto-tuning

How else can one explain his patronising and tone-deaf remarks about transport spending in the North?

Trains and strains

The ad has been criticized for being "tone-deaf" in the wake of the Paris attacks and other Daesh (ISIS) atrocities earlier this month.