veiller au grain

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French

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Etymology

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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

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  • 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

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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.