“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:
- 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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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.
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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.
