English in a Minute: Tone Deaf 

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A tone is a sound you hear in music or in someone’s voice. Deaf means unable to hear. So, what could “tone deaf” mean as an idiom?
A: Jonathan, Cynthia is so tone deaf. She came to Duncan’s party with peanut butter cookies and a big bag of peanuts.
B: What? Duncan is allergic to nuts. His party invitation said, ‘PLEASE NO NUTS.’
A: And she missed it completely.
In the world of music, “tone deaf” means unable to hear the differences between musical notes. But in everyday life, “tone deaf” describes someone who doesn't notice how others think or feel. They may seem a bit clueless about other people’s situations or experiences.
And that’s English in a Minute!
Originally published at - learningenglish.voanews.com/a...