tune (redirected from tunable)

*in tune with someone or something 

1. Lit. in musical harmony with someone or something. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) The violin is in tune with the piano. The tenor is not in tune with the bass.

2. Fig. in agreement with someone or something. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) Bill is just not in tune with the company's policies.

*in tune with the times

Fig. up-to-date; in fashion. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) Look at that old jacket, Bill. You're not in tune with the times.

See also: times

*out of tune (with someone or something)

1. Lit. not in musical harmony with someone or something. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) The oboe is out of tune with the flute. The flute is out of tune with John. They are all out of tune.

2. Fig. not in agreement with someone or something. (*Typically: be ~.) Your proposal is out of tune with my ideas of what we should be doing. Your ideas are out of tune with company policy.

See also: out

call (all) the shots

to decide on the course of action; to be in charge. Why do you have to call all the shots? Do what you're told. I'll call the shots.

See also: call, shot

call the shots and call the tune

Fig. to make the decisions; to decide what is to be done. Sally always wants to call the shots, and Mary doesn't like to be bossed around. They don't get along well. Sally always wants to call the tune.

See also: call, shot

can't carry a tune and cannot carry a tune; can't carry a tune in a bushel basket; can't carry a tune in a bucket; can't carry a tune in a paper sack

Fig. [to be] unable to sing a simple melody; lacking musical ability. I wish that Tom wouldn't try to sing. He can't carry a tune. I don't know why Mary's in the choir. She can't carry a tune in a bushel basket. Joe likes to sing in the shower, though he can't carry a tune in a bucket. I'd try to hum the song for you, but I can't carry a tune in a paper sack.

See also: carry

change someone's tune

to change the manner of a person, usually from bad to good, or from rude to pleasant. The teller was most unpleasant until she learned that I'm a bank director. Then she changed her tune. "I will help change your tune by fining you $150," said the judge to the rude defendant.

See also: change

dance to another tune and dance to a different tune

Fig. to shift quickly to different behavior; to change one's behavior or attitude. After being yelled at, Ann danced to another tune. A stern talking-to will make her dance to a different tune.

See also: another, dance

fine-tune something 

1. Lit. to make delicate adjustments in some mechanical or electronic device. It took a while to fine-tune the flute, but it was worth it.

2. Fig. to make small alterations in a plan or procedure. We need to spend some time fine-tuning the scheme, then we will seek approval.

He who pays the piper calls the tune.

Prov. If you are paying for someone's services, you can dictate exactly what you want that person to do. When Mrs. Dalton told the artist what she wanted her portrait to look like, the artist cringed to think that anyone could have such bad taste. Still, he who pays the piper calls the tune, and Mrs. Dalton got what she wanted.

See also: call, pay, piper, who

in tune

in a state where musical notes are at their proper intervals so that none are flat or sharp. Your piano is in tune. The choir members all sang in tune.

march to (the beat of) a different drummer

Fig. to believe in a different set of principles. John is marching to a different drummer, and he doesn't associate with us anymore. Since Sally started marching to the beat of a different drummer, she has had a lot of great new ideas.

See also: different, march

sing a different tune and sing another tune

Fig. to change one's manner, usually from bad to good. (Almost the same as dance to another tune.) When she learned that I was a bank director, she began to sing a different tune. You will sing another tune as soon as you find out how right I am!

See also: different, sing

There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle.

Prov. Old people can be very capable. Just because Nigel is old doesn't mean he's useless. There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle.

See also: fiddle, good, many, old, play

to the tune of

some amount of money Fig. to a certain amount of money. My checking account is overdrawn to the tune of $340. My wallet was stolen, and I'm out to the tune of $70.

tune someone or something out

to put someone or something out of one's consciousness; to cease paying attention to someone or something. I had to tune the radio out in order to concentrate. I tuned out what the speaker was saying and daydreamed for a while.

See also: out

tune something in

to adjust a radio or television set so that something can be received. Couldyou tune the newscast in? Please tune in the station a little better.

tune something up

Fig. to adjust an engine to run the best and most efficiently. You need to tune this engine up. Please tune up this engine so it will run more economically.

See also: up

tune in (on someone or something) and tune in (to someone or something)

1. Lit. to adjust a radio or television set to receive a broadcast of someone or something. Let's tune in on the late news. I don't want to tune in tonight.

2. and tune in (to something) Fig. to pay attention to someone or something. I just can't tune in on these professors. I listen and I try, but I just can't tune in.

tune out

Fig. to cease paying attention to anything at all. I wasn't interested, so I just tuned out. I think that most of the audience tuned out during the last part of the lecture.

See also: out

tune up

[for one or more musicians] to bring their instruments into tune. You could hear the orchestra behind the curtain, tuning up. We have to tune up before the concert.

See also: up

tuned in

aware; up-to-date. Jan is tuned in and alert to what is going on around her. Hey, Jill! Get tuned in, why don'tyou?

Turn on, tune in, drop out.

A slogan (popularized by Dr. Timothy Leary) promoting the use of LSD among young people. The key phrase in the heyday of acid was "turn on, tune in, drop out." Millions heard "turn on, tune in, drop out" and did just that.

See also: drop, out, turn

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call the shots/tune

to be the person who makes all the important decisions and who has the most power in a situation She was used to calling the shots, to being in charge.

See answer the call of nature, call in chips, bring to heel

See also: call, shot

change your tune

to change your opinion completely, especially because you know it will bring you an advantage He was against the idea to start with, but he soon changed his tune when I told him how much money he'd get out of it.

See also: change

dance to somebody's tune

to always do what someone tells you to do, whether you agree with it or not Powerful local residents seem to have the council dancing to their tune.

See lead a dance

See also: dance

He who pays the piper calls the tune.

something that you say which means that the person who provides the money for something can decide how it should be done You may not agree with Mr Brown but he funded this venture, and he who pays the piper calls the tune.

See also: call, pay, piper, who

march to a different drummer  (mainly American) also march to a different tune (British)

to behave in a different way or to believe in different things from the people around you While most of the country supported military action, Santini was marching to a different drummer.

See steal a march on

See also: different, march

sing the same tune  (British, American & Australian) also sing from the same hymnsheet/songsheet (British)

if a group of people sing the same tune, they say the same things about a subject in public (usually in continuous tenses) I want to make sure we're all singing the same tune before we give any interviews to the newspapers.

See also: same, sing

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call the shots

to make the important decisions The company was more successful when just one or two people were calling the shots.

Related vocabulary: call the tune

See also: call, shot

call the tune

to have the most power and authority in a situation In this part of the mortgage market, the banks call the tune.

Related vocabulary: call the shots

See also: call

carry a tune

to be able to sing accurately For such a complicated song they should at least find someone who can carry a tune.

See also: carry

change your tune

to change your opinion completely They'll change their tune when they see that their advice is making people angry with them.

See also: change

dance to somebody's tune also dance to the tune of somebody

to always obey someone who has power over you Powerful local residents seem to have the city council dancing to their tune. In the future, people will ask why we danced to the tunes of this president.

See also: dance

in tune (with somebody/something)

having a good understanding of someone or something Carl was thoroughly in tune with new developments in art. He's more in tune with his players today because he's seeking out their opinions.

march to a different drummer

to be different from other people As long as the schools that are marching to a different drummer just serve poor kids, no one really cares how they try to teach their students.

See also: different, march

to the tune of something

in the approximate amount mentioned We're in debt to the tune of $50,000.

Usage notes: usually used with amounts of money, as in the example.

tune in (to something) also tune into something

to turn on and watch or listen to television or radio Millions of viewers tuned in, hoping to learn more about the princess's death. We usually tune into the morning news when we wake up.

tune out (somebody/something)

to stop paying attention to someone or something Beverly always tunes out in the middle of her music lesson. He's been tuning me out ever since I tried to talk to him about his drinking.

See also: out

tune up (for something)

to prepare for something The coach feels confident that the team is tuned up for tonight's game.

See also: up

tune up something also tune something up

to adjust an engine or vehicle so that it works as well as possible I haven't tuned up my car in two years. The motorcycle isn't running right, but she can't afford to tune it up.

See also: up

tuned in (to somebody/something) also tuned into somebody/something

very aware of someone or something so that you understand them well She's tuned in to all the latest fashions. Our staff are trained to be tuned into the needs of children.