“Péter les plombs” is a commonly used French expression that translates literally to “to blow the fuses”.
English meanings:
- to flip out
- to lose it
- to blow a fuse
- to go beserk
- to go off the rails
French expressions love to use the verb péter, which can translate to break, pop, burst, snap and even fart! Un plomb is an electrical fuse. A French meaning of péter les plombs is “craquer psychologiquement” (to breakdown psychologically).
Example sentence:
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- Papa péte les plombs quand la voiture ne démarre pas en hiver. Dad loses it when the doesn’t start during the winter.
Synonymous expressions:
- péter un câble – to lose it
- avoir la moutarde qui monte au nez – to get angry
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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.
