wooden ear

plural wooden ears

1. idiomaticTone-deafness of any kind.

   have a wooden ear

   1. idiomaticTone-deafness for musical tone.

      A music teacher is challenged when a student seems to have a wooden ear.

   2. idiomaticTone-deafness for usage tone.

      She fancies herself a writer, but she'll steamroll idiom in a way that reveals a wooden ear.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see wooden, ear.

   These dolls were traditionally made of fabric stuffed with straw, and they often had carved wooden ears and polished coals for eyes.