a writer with a 'tin ear' for dialogue [=who writes dialogue that does not sound real]
My wife is a talented musician, but I have a 'tin ear'.
a 'tin' of biscuits/tobacco
(..) Ain't you heard? His parole's come through. I just don't understand what happened in there. Old man's crazy as a rat in a tin shithouse. That's enough out of you. -Heard he had you shitting your pants. -Fuck you. Knock it off. Brooks ain't no bug. (..)1994 The Shawshank Redemption