partir en fumée

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paʁ.tiʁ ɑ̃ fy.me/

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

partir en fumée

1. (intransitive, simultaneously euphemistic and, usually, hyperbolic) to be consumed by and destroyed in fire (which is only implied) such that smoke is the only evidence of something having happened (ash, smut, etc. notwithstanding)

   Synonym: être réduit en cendres

2. (intransitive, figuratively) to be ruined, destroyed

   Synonym: s’en aller en ruine

3. (intransitive, figuratively) to go up in smoke, vanish into thin air
   • 2021, Angèle, Démons:

     L’angoisse me fait la guerre et part en fumée.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

• As one may make substitutions for either of the phrase's two primary elements (the verbal partir and its complementary en fumée), a number of alternative phrasings, representing different levels of formality and used with varying levels of frequency, are possible:
  • with any number of substitutions for partir, the most common including s’en aller, s’évanouir and disparaître:
    • s’en aller en fumée
    • s’évanouir en fumée
  • and with comme une fumée, comme fumée, or comme en fumée for en fumée:
    • partir comme en fumée
    • s'évanouir comme en fumée
    • disparaître comme en fumée, disparaître comme une fumée

Conjugation

• see partir

See also

• réduire en cendres