talonner

Senses

1. 1.

   to follow closely; to hound

   to pursue or harass someone persistently, often staying right behind them

2. 2.

   to pester; to nag

   to bother or press someone repeatedly about something

3. 3.

   (nautical) to be stuck on a shoal

   said of a ship that has run aground in shallow water

Examples

• "Le créancier le talonnait constamment pour obtenir son paiement."

  The creditor hounded him constantly to get payment.

• "Elle ne cesse de me talonner avec ses questions."

  She keeps pestering me with her questions.

• "Le navire talonnait sur les bas-fonds."

  The ship was stuck on the shallows.

Usage

A somewhat formal or literary verb. In everyday speech, "harceler" or "embêter" may be more common for the sense of pestering. The nautical sense is specialized terminology. The verb comes from "talon" (heel), evoking the image of staying at someone's heels.