This is the 10060th most frequent French word.
grappillait
"Grappillait" means "was gleaning" or "was gathering bit by bit."
In this sentence, 'grappillait' is used in the context of casually picking small quantities of something, specifically grapes.
Il grappillait quelques raisins de la vigne lorsqu’il passait.
He was picking some grapes from the vine as he passed.
Here, 'grappillait' is used metaphorically to describe the act of collecting bits and pieces of information discreetly.
Elle grappillait des informations en écoutant les conversations.
She was gathering information by listening to conversations.
In this usage, 'grappillait' conveys the idea of gradually acquiring or gaining small amounts of something, such as seconds in this case.