Informal French Expression
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| Meaning | to faint, to pass out | |
| Literally | to fall in the apples | |
| Register | informal | |
| Pronunciation |  |
[to(n) bay da(n) lay puhm] |
| IPA | [tɔ̃ be dã le pɔm] | |
Usage notes: The informal French expression tomber dans les pommes means "to faint, pass out."
Par exemple…
| Quand j’ai vu le sang, je suis tombé dans les pommes. | When I saw the blood, I fainted. | |
| Il ne faut pas travailler pendant toute la nuit, tu vas finir par tomber dans les pommes. | You shouldn’t work all night, you’re going to end up passing out. |
Variation: partir dans les pommes – literally, "to leave in(to) the apples"
Synonyms
- défaillir – to faint
- s’évanouir – to faint
- perdre connaissance – to lose consciousness
- perdre conscience – to lose consciousness
- tomber en faiblesse – "to fall into weakness"
- tourner de l’œil (informal) – to faint
- tomber dans les vapes (familiar) – to faint, pass out
au Québec - faire de la toile – "to do some canvas"
- faire l’étoile (de mer) – "to do the starfish"
dated – "to swoon" - se pâmer
- tomber en pâmoison
Related expressions
- être dans les pommes – "to be out cold, unconscious"
- rester dans les pommes – “to (continue to) be out cold, to remain unconscious"
Related lessons
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