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Péter les plombs (To blow a fuse)

Péter les plombs (To blow a fuse)

Péter les plombs is an informal French expression which means to blow a fuse, lose it, go beserk or flip out.

FrenchLearner expression of the day: Péter les plombs (to blow a fuse, lose it, go berserk.

Example sentences

This second example sentence uses en voyant (while seeing), which is an example of the French gerund.

Expression origin

The informal verb péter means to burst, snap or break (as well as to fart!). Plomb literally means lead but in the context of this expression means fuse. According to expressio.fr, electrical fuses in earlier times contained a lead wire which would melt suddenly in the event of a sudden electrical surge.

Related lessons

References
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David Issokson
David Issokson is the founder and French teacher of Frenchlearner.com. With over 30 years of experience as a French learner and speaker, he is passionate about making the language accessible and enjoyable for everyone. David is dedicated to providing clear, practical, and effective resources to help you master French. Learn more about FrenchLearner on our about us page. Visit davidissokson.com, David's personal website.

David Issokson

David Issokson is the founder and French teacher of Frenchlearner.com. With over 30 years of experience as a French learner and speaker, he is passionate about making the language accessible and enjoyable for everyone. David is dedicated to providing clear, practical, and effective resources to help you master French. Learn more about FrenchLearner on our about us page. Visit davidissokson.com, David's personal website.

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