écoute-s'il-pleut

French

Etymology

Literally, “listen if it's raining”.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /e.kut.s‿il.plø/

Noun

écoute-s’il-pleut m (plural écoute-s’il-pleut)

  1. (type of) watermill
  2. (figuratively) pipedream, castle in the air
    • 1862, Victor Hugo, Les Misérables, I.1.viii:
      Monsieur l’évêque, l’immortalité de l’homme est un écoute-s’il-pleut.
      My lord bishop, the immortality of man is a pipedream.
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