péter une baloune
Meaning: To cause deep disappointment; to shatter someone's illusions or hopes.
Language: French
Literally: to burst a balloon
Category: The Absurd
Origin: Direct image: a balloon bursting is sudden, loud, and destructive—a perfect picture of an abruptly shattered illusion or dream.
More idioms — The Absurd
- passer d'un excès à l'autre — To swing from one extreme to the opposite extreme without ever finding moderation.
- fuera de sí — to be in a state of extreme emotion, either elation or distress, such that one loses comp…
- armar la de san Quintín — to start a violent fight or brawl; to cause a huge commotion.
- dale que te pego — relentlessly; without stopping or holding back.
- no haber color — there is no comparison; one option is vastly superior to another.
- a montones — In vast quantities; abundantly available and unremarkable.
More French idioms
- être du propre — Used ironically to criticize something as morally or physically filthy.
- remuer ciel et terre — To exert all possible effort and use every available means to achieve a goal.
- joindre le geste à la parole — To back up what you say with action; to keep your promises.
- mettre à terre — To defeat or knock someone down.
- faire dresser l’oreille — To catch someone's attention or spark their interest.
- renaître de ses cendres — To rise again and flourish after near-total destruction.
From our tongue twisters
- Didon dîna, dit-on, du dos d'un dodu dindon dont le dodu dos dodine. — A 'd' / 'din' / 'dod' avalanche that seems designed to jam the tongue in third gear.
- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. — The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? — A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.