Play by earWord for the Wise March 13, 2007 Broadcast Topic: Play by ear You might not think a simple word question would play havoc with a relationship, but we heard from a listener asking us to referee what may sound like a playful question: where does the phrase to play by ear come from, and what does it mean?
(来源：2HZZ常识网 http://www.
2hzz.
com)We're not at all interested in playing both ends against the middle—that is, in setting opposing interests against each other to our own ultimate profit—but we cannot resist the opportunity to play up—that is, to emphasize—the number of play phrases at play in our lexicon.
For instance, we began with play havoc, which means to do great damage; render ineffectual; or throw into disorder and confusion; and we won't pretend we don't know about playing possum—that is, feigning ignorance or pretending to be either asleep or dead.
But the matter of digging deep into playing by ear is almost child's play—that is, an extremely simple task or act.
To play by ear is to deal with something without previous planning or instruction.
The phrase has its origin in music, where to play by ear is to perform a piece without having seen the score.