false note

false note

An indication that something is wrong, disingenuous, or deceitful. I know she apologized, but it struck a false note with me—I don't believe she meant what she said.
See also: false, note
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • a mystery to (one)
  • appear to
  • able to do
  • able to do it
  • a change of heart
  • be (on) the wrong side of (an age)
  • be on the right/wrong side of 40, 50, etc.
  • (one) can whistle for it
  • balmy
  • a turn of phrase
References in classic literature
She passed that night, by the most tacit, and I should add, were not the word so grotesque a false note, the happiest of arrangements, with Mrs.
Turn Of The Screw
Prince Andrew shrugged his shoulders and frowned, as lovers of music do when they hear a false note. The two women let go of one another, and then, as if afraid of being too late, seized each other's hands, kissing them and pulling them away, and again began kissing each other on the face, and then to Prince Andrew's surprise both began to cry and kissed again.
War and Peace
'I am afraid,' I would say, 'a relation of mine lost twenty-five roubles the other day through a false note,' and then I'd tell them the whole story.
To go with false notes into a bank where it's their business to spot that sort of thing!
Crime And Punishment
What he said wasn't wrong, but it wasn't right, and a false note jarred.
Howards End
Her fingers wavered on the piano--she struck a false note, confused herself in trying to set it right, and dropped her hands angrily on her lap.
The Woman in White
Its unexpected, unlady-like harshness fell on his trained ear with the disagreeable effect of a false note. "Yes.
Chance
Juliana's desire to make our acquaintance lucrative had been, as I have sufficiently indicated, a false note in my image of the woman who had inspired a great poet with immortal lines; but I may say here definitely that I recognized after all that it behooved me to make a large allowance for her.
Aspern Papers
"It's a false note," Miss Sharp said with a laugh; and Rawdon Crawley fumed with rage and mortification.
Vanity Fair
He listened to the whole tirade in a particular lending-the-ear attitude, as if trying to detect a false note in it somewhere; then straightened him- self up and appeared to ponder sagaciously over the matter.
The Shadow Line
His fingers traveled mechanically over the worn keys of his instrument; he did not trouble himself over a false note now and again (a canard , in the language of the orchestra), neither did the dancers, nor, for that matter, did my old Italian's acolytes; for I had made up my mind that he must be Italian, and an Italian he was.
Facino Cane
Razumov, whose face was turned away from her, made a grimace like a man who hears a false note.
Under Western Eyes
Weeks is like that fellow who went to hear Rubenstein and complained that he played false notes. False notes!
Philip, not knowing how many incompetent people have found solace in these false notes, was much impressed.
Of Human Bondage
She made a fair and honorable average of two false notes in every five, but her soul was in arms and she never stopped to correct.
Tramp Abroad