This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
protégé à 15 A.
figé

Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

grain de sable qui dérègle la machine

English translation:

a fly in the ointment

Added to glossary by david angel (X)
May 5, 2005 16:19
19 yrs ago
5 viewers *
French term

grain de sable qui dérègle la machine

French to English Art/Literary Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
from:

"Le Crime était Presque Parfait” illustre à merveille la théorie du grain de sable qui dérègle la machine...

(in the blurb of a Hitchcock DVD)

I'm sure there's an English idiom for this but I can't think what it is...
Proposed translations (English)
3 +4 the fly in the ointment?
5 +1 the devil in the detail
5 the spanner in the works / sand in the gears
4 Throw a monkey wrench into the works
4 -1 straw that broke the camel's back?
2 +1 tiny piece of grit that upsets the works
3 little strokes fell great oaks
3 a pebble that upsets the (whole) apple cart

Proposed translations

+4
8 mins
French term (edited): grain de sable qui d�r�gle la machine
Selected

the fly in the ointment?

Maybe we need a little more of the context. The idea seems to be that of an inevitable flaw or tiny mistake. Perhaps paraphrase.
Peer comment(s):
agree emiledgar : This is the idiom that means the same thing - the small thing that wrecks the whole thing, these sayings really have identical meanings (and that's pretty rare in this sort of thing).
4 mins
agree Patrice
9 mins
agree Angela Dickson (X) : better than mine, especially having looked at a synopsis of 'Dial M for Murder'...
12 mins
neutral Tony M : I always thought this meant more of a 'hidden snag' or 'drawback'...?
20 mins
agree sarahl (X) : yes, the fly in the KY :-)
1 hr
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "thanks - this is probably the closest"
-1
2 mins
French term (edited): grain de sable qui d�r�gle la machine

straw that broke the camel's back?

in the sense of a little thing that isn't much by itself, but when added to what went before, is very important...
Peer comment(s):
disagree Tony M : I don't believe this is the same idiom (and there's a different one for this in FR)
24 mins
neutral Michel A. : with Dusty (la gouute d'eau qui fait déborder le verre)
28 mins
neutral Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X) : that is usually for a situation that results in chaos or an explosion (anger) etc.
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
4 mins
French term (edited): grain de sable qui d�r�gle la machine

tiny piece of grit that upsets the works

Yes, I'm sure you're right, I feel sure there is a proper idiom, but I'm blowed if I can think what it is!

Maybe this will do to be going on with!
Peer comment(s):
agree RHELLER : this is definitely the idea, but I am not sure we would call that an idiom
17 mins
Thanks, Rita! As I said, I know it's not the actual idiom, though 'upset the works IS fairly idiomatic, don't you think? :-)
Something went wrong...
14 mins
French term (edited): grain de sable qui d�r�gle la machine

the spanner in the works / sand in the gears

Spanner = clé anglaise

If the audience is exclusively American (not Canadian), then the "spanner" phrase might fly way over their heads, so use the "sand in the gears" alternative.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Tony M : I'm not sure the spanner/works idiom is in fact the same? It's the relative size that's being emphasized here...
12 mins
neutral Charlie Bavington : agree with Dusty re: the relative scale being important.
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
14 mins
French term (edited): grain de sable qui d�r�gle la machine

Throw a monkey wrench into the works

A bit bigger than a grain of sand :)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 mins (2005-05-05 16:36:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...but a common phrase in EN-US.
Something went wrong...
+1
3 mins
French term (edited): grain de sable qui d�r�gle la machine

the devil in the detail

:)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 mins (2005-05-05 16:23:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

the maxim that the devil is in the detail..

i would say maxim rather than theory in English..

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2005-05-05 16:37:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If one detail is off, the whole thing is off...
Peer comment(s):
agree Michel A. : I think this one is the closest to the original French
32 mins
Thanx Michel..
Something went wrong...
41 mins
French term (edited): grain de sable qui d�r�gle la machine

little strokes fell great oaks

little strokes fell great oaks (a David and Goliath situation)

I admit this is rare
Reference:

http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/Curriculum/Literary/ClichesandIdioms.html

Peer comment(s):
neutral Charlie Bavington : I have to say that always interpreted this phrase as meaning that if you chip away at something for long enough, you'll get there in the end, rather than one single small thing can bring the whole thing down.....
1 hr
Something went wrong...
2 hrs
French term (edited): grain de sable qui d�r�gle la machine

a pebble that upsets the (whole) apple cart

the "upsetting the apple cart" part is fairly idomatic, and basically means to cock the whole thing up.

The pebble is my addition...:-)
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search