The French expression “prendre la poudre d’escampette” translates literally to “to take flight or escape powder”.
English meanings:
- to bolt
- to take to your heels
French meanings:
- s’enfuir – to flee
Example sentence:
- C’était un prisonnier modèle pendant cinq ans mais un jour il a pris la poudre d’escampette. He was a model prisoner for five years but one day he bolted.
Related expressions:
- prendre ses jambes à son cou – to make a run for it, run for your life
- prendre le large – to run off, to hightail it
