veiller au grain
French edit
Etymology edit
Expression arises from maritime use: grain is a sudden, violent gust of wind, accompanied with or without rain; veiller au grain means to watch for, or be on guard for, unpredictable meteorological events that can endanger an ill-prepared crew or damage a frail, poorly sheltered boat.
Pronunciation edit
- IPA(key): /vɛ.je o ɡʁɛ̃/, /ve.je o ɡʁɛ̃/, (more formal) /vɛ.je.ʁ‿o ɡʁɛ̃/, (more formal) /ve.je.ʁ‿o ɡʁɛ̃/
Audio (file)
Verb edit
- (literal) to be on guard for a sudden, violent gust of wind
- (figurative) to keep an eye on things, to look out for squalls, to keep a weather eye open
- 1992, Amélie Nothomb, translated by Alison Anderson, Hygiène de l'assassin; republished as Hygiene and the Assassin, 2010:
- Déjà les biographes veillaient au grain.
- Biographers were already hovering.