Battre la chamade

Battre la chamade
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French Expression

Meaning to beat wildly, pound, race
Literally to beat the fanfare
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Pronunciation French sound files [bahtr(eu) lah shah mahd]
IPA   [batʁə la ʃa mad]

Usage notes: The French expression battre la chamade indicates a wildly beating heart due to fear, exhilaration, or some other strong emotion.

Par exemple…

Ah, tu m’as fait peur ! Mon cœur bat la chamade !   Oh, you startled me! My heart is racing!
Son cœur battait la chamade pendant toute la nuit.   His heart pounded all night.

Variations

  • avoir le cœur qui bat la chamade – to have a wildly beating heart
  • se mettre à battre la chamade – to start pounding
Le soldat avait le cœur qui battait la chamade.   The soldier’s heart was beating wildly.
En le voyant, mon cœur s’est mis à battre la chamade.   Upon seeing him, my heart started pounding.

 Battre la chamade is cut down to its bare minimum in the title of Françoise Sagan’s novel La Chamade.

 Related lessons

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Mon cœur bat la chamade

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