faire long feu

The French expression “faire long feu” translates literally to “to make a long fire”.

English meaning:

  • to fizzle out

French meaning:

  • échouer to fail
  • ne pas produire l’effet attendu to not produce the expected effect

Example sentence:

  • Après trois ans de négociations entre la direction et le syndicat, tous les efforts on fait feu. After three years of negociations between the management and the union, all efforts fizzled.

Synonymous expression:

  • tomber à l’eau – Literally: to fall in to the water; to fizzle out
  • s’éteindre en crépitant – Literally: to extinguish sputtering ; to fizzle out

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