være i gære

From the verb være (“to be”), the preposition i (“in”) and an otherwise obsolete noun gære, originally a dative form of Old Norse gerð (“action, deed”), later confused with the verb gære (“to brew”).

være i gære

1. (of some troublesome event) to be afoot, to be about to happen, to be brewing
   • 2016, Henning Dehn-Nielsen, Kongelige mord i Danmarkshistorien, Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

     Skepsissen nagede dog endnu mange, som svagt fornemmede, at noget kunne være i gære.

     However, scepticism still bothered many, who faintly sensed that something could be brewing.

   • 2017, Marcus Lauesen, Freden, Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

     Ja, noget maa der nu være i Gære, for der er Uro i Whitehall, fortalte Andrew.

     Well, something has to be going on, for there is unrest in Whitehall, Andrew related.

   • 2014, Anton Guldbæk, Det må aldrig ske igen. En dansk politibetjents oplevelser i tysk fangenskab 19. september 1944 til 4. maj 1945, Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

     Vi spekulerede selvfølgelig over, hvad der kunne være i gære, siden tyskerne sådan tog på vej ...

     We did of course wonder what could be brewing, since the Germans became so upset ...