Estar al pairo

poli

January 28, 2011, 06:30 AM

Can someone tell what it means?

AngelicaDeAlquezar

January 28, 2011, 08:19 AM

According to the DRAE (http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltConsulta?TIPO_BUS=3&LEMA=pairo):

Estar, quedarse, etc., al pairo.
--Locución verbal coloquial: Estar a la expectativa, para actuar cuando sea necesario.

En México no se entendería. Aquí probablemente se diría algo como "estar en ascuas".

aleCcowaN

January 28, 2011, 08:47 AM

to be inactive or idle but ready to react promptly ... it's an image that came from sailing: a ship is waiting under sail for the wind to start blowing so it can weigh anchor.

poli

January 28, 2011, 10:42 AM

Parece estar en centinela.

aleCcowaN

January 28, 2011, 11:23 AM

We say here many phrases carrying similar meanings: "estar/quedar en standby" (like the red light in appliances), "estar esperando la voz de á'hura (ya)" (everybody gathering and waiting for the signal start pulling a rope), "estar de guardia pasiva" (stand-by duty but not in location).

chileno

January 28, 2011, 11:50 AM

En Chile "estar al cateo de la laucha"

poli

January 28, 2011, 12:12 PM

What is the term for :a doctor on call

JPablo

January 28, 2011, 12:25 PM

Médico de guardia.

Para "al pairo" Moliner dice:
Al pairo.
1 Mar. Aplicado a la manera de estar las naves, quieta, pero con las velas tendidas.
2 Con «estar, quedarse», etc., sin obrar o tomar una resolución, pero en disposición de tomar la que aconsejen las circunstancias. Þ *Esperar.

Oxford,
estar al pairo to lie to, to be hove to; ponerse al pairo to heave to

ROBINDESBOIS

January 28, 2011, 01:24 PM

First time I´ve heard that, probably very espesialized language.
It sounds Portuguese to me.