play it by ear

Meaning

1. to decide how to deal with a situation as it develops rather than by having a plan to follow

   I don't know what they'll want when they arrive — we'll have to play it by ear.

In the movies · 2

• I was gonna play it by ear.Lucky Number Slevin2006
• We're just playing it by ear and trying to keep her comfortable.The Descendants2011

From the same entry

• be all ears
• be out on your ear
• be up to your ears in
• comes to ears
• ears are burning
• ears are flapping
• go in one ear and out the other
• have coming out of your ears
• have ear
• keep your ear to the ground
• play by ear
• shut your ears to