Pronunciation: [a(n) treu shyeh(n) ay loo]
Meaning: at dusk, at twilight
Literal translation: between dog and wolf
Register: normal
Notes: The French expression entre chien et loup is a poetic way to talk about dusk, the brief period of time after the sun sets, when the sky is just beginning to get dark. The idea is that there's still enough light to see an animal in front of you, but not enough to tell whether it is a dog or a wolf—and by extension, whether you might be in danger.
Examples
Il faut allumer les réverbères entre chien et loup.
The streetlights have to be lit at dusk.
Quand je suis sorti, entre chien et loup, il a commencé à pleuvoir.
When I went out, at dusk, it started to rain.
Synonyms
- au crépuscule
- à la brune (literary)
- à la nuit tombante
- à la tombée de la nuit
- à la tombée du jour
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