off the rails

hors de contrôle, à la dérive

Qui ne fonctionne ou n’évolue plus correctement et cause souvent des problèmes ou des dégâts.

En anglais simple : No longer working or developing properly, often causing problems or damage.

• The meeting went off the rails.
• His life went off the rails after he lost his job.
• We need to act before the project goes off the rails.

Comment l'utiliser : go off the rails (The discussion went off the rails after his angry comment.)

Synonymes : out of control, awry

Contraires : on track

Expressions courantes : go off the rails, completely off the rails

hors de contrôle

Se dit d’un comportement ou d’une situation devenu si désordonné ou problématique qu’on ne peut plus le maîtriser.

En anglais simple : If someone or something becomes impossible to control, their behaviour or situation becomes wild or seriously troubled.

• The party went off the rails.
• She went off the rails and started missing school.
• Their spending has gone completely off the rails.

Comment l'utiliser : go off the rails (His life went off the rails after he lost his job.)

Synonymes : out of control

Contraires : under control

Expressions courantes : go off the rails, completely off the rails

sur la mauvaise voie

Se dit d’un projet qui ne suit plus le cours prévu et n’évolue plus comme souhaité.

En anglais simple : If a plan leaves its intended course, it stops developing in the way people wanted.

• Our plan went off the rails.
• The debate went off the rails after that question.
• How did the project get so far off the rails?

Comment l'utiliser : go off the rails (The discussion went off the rails when we started talking about lunch.)

Synonymes : off course, off track

Contraires : on track

Expressions courantes : go off the rails, off the rails again

cinglé, fou

Se dit d’une personne qui semble incapable de réfléchir clairement ou raisonnablement.

En anglais simple : Behaving as if unable to think clearly or reasonably.

• He sounds completely off the rails.
• They called her off the rails after hearing her strange claims.
• Do you think I’m off the rails for believing him?

Comment l'utiliser : be off the rails (He thought she was off the rails for believing that story.)

Synonymes : crazy, mad

Contraires : sane

Expressions courantes : completely off the rails, go off the rails

déraillé

Se dit d’un train ou de ses roues qui ne sont plus sur les rails.

En anglais simple : A train or its wheels are no longer on the metal tracks they should follow.

• The train came off the rails.
• Two wheels slipped off the rails on the bend.
• Workers lifted the carriage that was off the rails.

Comment l'utiliser : come off the rails (One carriage came off the rails near the station.)

Synonymes : derailed

Expressions courantes : come off the rails, off the rails again