entre chien et loup
French
Etymology
Calque of Latin inter canem et lupum (“between a dog and a wolf”), because at that time in the day, one can't see the difference. Traditional sentiment, dating to antiquity (found in 2nd century CE texts), in French from the 18th century.[1]
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɑ̃.tʁə ʃjɛ̃ e lu/
(file)
Adverb
entre chien et loup
- (literally) between a dog and a wolf
- (by extension, idiomatic) at dusk, at twilight; gloaming
- 1999, Anna Gavalda, “Petites pratiques germanopratines”, in Je voudrais que quelqu'un m'attende quelque part, →ISBN:
- Entre chien et loup, le boulevard s'est apaisé et les voitures sont en veilleuse.
- (please add an English translation of this quote)
-
- (photography) golden hour (used in same technical sense for “good photographic light at twilight”)
Usage notes
If used in poetic sense, witching hour, which describes a different time of day, when it is darker, but is similarly idiomatic, may provide a more evocative translation.[2]
Synonyms
- brunante
- crépuscule
- heure bleue
- à la tombée de la nuit
References
- Entre chien et loup, L’Internaute
- Entre chien et loup, Naked Translations, February 6, 2004