to carry a tune
10
4.5
- idiom
:
entonar
- She can carry a tune beautifully, hitting every note with precision.
- barely carry a tune
- able to carry a tune
- carry a tune well
Examples
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I was hearing someone singing along too, and I thought, "Lord, that wife of his sure can't carry a tune."
Fiction book (1990) -
I can't carry a tune in a bucket, though.
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The difference being, I can actually carry a tune.
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Well, I can carry a tune, but not really.
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Good thing I can carry a tune, sort of.
Blog text (12) -
Can he carry a tune, Hal?
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I can't even carry a tune.
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Like my grade-five music teacher, Etta thinks only people who can carry a tune should sing outside the shower.
Fiction book (2000) -
So, please overlook the fact that I can't carry a tune.
Blog text (18) -
It was a little timid and somewhat higher-pitched than what you'd expect, but he could definitely carry a tune.
Fiction book (1999)
Synonyms
12
7.1
Sing or play a tune accurately and in tune
To match your voice to the notes of the song
To sing a note correctly and stay in tune
Antonyms
How Accurate
10
4.5
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase 'carry a tune' is directly interpretable as 'carry' (to hold or maintain) plus 'tune' (a melody), so it reasonably yields the meaning 'to sustain or reproduce a melody accurately.' This compositional reading follows normal English patterns and would generally be understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Carry a tune may come from the image of a singer whose voice carries a melody across a room and keeps the tune steady. So, if someone can hold a melody and not go off-key, we say they can carry a tune, meaning they can 'sing in tune'.