play the lute to a cow; cast pearls before swine; waste one's effort on an unreceptive audience
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesidiom
to talk over someone's head; to waste words on an ignorant or unreceptive audience; to preach to deaf ears
neutralLiteral translation: "to play the lute to a cow." Can be used to criticize either the speaker for not choosing the right audience, or the audience for being incapable of understanding.
Discussing abstract art with someone who knows nothing about it is like casting pearls before swine.
Explaining such a complex theory to him is completely futile; he simply won't listen.
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Don't talk about professional knowledge at that kind of meeting; it's like playing the lute to a cow.
idiom
(used to ridicule) to speak without considering one's audience; to be clueless about who one is talking to
derogatoryA more specific, critical usage that directly mocks the speaker for being foolish or inconsiderate in their choice of listener.
He's really playing the lute to a cow by talking about international politics in front of a group of children.
Stop preaching to the deaf; they only care about the result, not the process.