out-of-tune
out-of-tune — idiom
1. used when a musician or singer produces sounds at a pitch that does not match th
used when a musician or singer produces sounds at a pitch that does not match the intended melody, causing the music to sound jarring or unpleasant.
An out-of-tune guitar can ruin an otherwise beautiful performance at a live concert.
attributive use: out-of-tune before a noun
After the long bus ride, the choir sounded out of tune and needed extra practice.
The music teacher knew the old piano was out of tune after one chord.
Aarav's violin was out of tune, so he adjusted the pegs until the notes matched.
The out-of-tune trumpet made the school band's performance sound harsh and unpleasant.
- off-key
more common for singing than instruments; slightly less precise musically
- discordant
more formal; describes any harsh combination of sounds, not limited to pitch issues
- dissonant
a technical music term for notes that clash harmonically when played together
- in tune
the direct opposite; singing or playing at the correct pitch
- harmonious
broader in meaning; describes sounds that combine pleasingly
文法句型
out-of-tune + noun
be/link verb + out of tune
用法筆記
The hyphenated form 'out-of-tune' is used attributively (before a noun, e.g. an out-of-tune piano). The open form 'out of tune' is used predictively (after a linking verb, e.g. the piano was out of tune). Learners sometimes overuse the hyphenated form in predicate position.