veiller au grain

French

Etymology

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

• IPA^(key): /vɛ.je o ɡʁɛ̃/ ~ /ve.je o ɡʁɛ̃/, (more formal) /vɛ.je.ʁ‿o ɡʁɛ̃/ ~ /ve.je.ʁ‿o ɡʁɛ̃/

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

veiller au grain

1. (literal) to be on guard for a sudden, violent gust of wind
2. (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.