“Avoir du plomb dans l’aile” is a metaphorical French expression that translates literally to “to have lead in the wing”. The expression means to be in a bad away. It originates from an 18th-century hunting expression relating to injured birds falling after having been shot. Here are some more translations:
- to be in a bad state
- to be in bad shape
Here’s an example sentence:
Suite à la crise récente et plusieurs erreurs, la carriere du president a du plomb dans l’aile. Following the recent crisis and several mistakes, the president’s career is in a bad way.
Suggested audio French courses from Frenchtoday.com
David Issokson is a lifelong language enthusiast. His head is swimming with words and sounds as he speaks over six languages. Of all the languages he speaks, he's the most passionate about French! David has helped hundreds of students to improve their French in his private online lessons. When procrastinating working on his site, FrenchLearner.com, David enjoys his time skiing and hiking in Teton Valley, Idaho.
Latest posts by David Issokson (see all)
- Prendre Conjugation: How To Conjugate “To Take” In French - January 31, 2023
- Duolingo French: Does it really work? Complete Review - January 30, 2023
- Ella, elle l’a (France Gall) Meaning, Translation, Lyrics - January 26, 2023
Bonjour! My name is David Issokson. I'm based in Victor, Idaho (near Jackson, Wyoming) and have helped hundreds of students to learn French online since 2013.
