Also means
to go off the rails
Usage Note
Dérailler literally means for a train to leave the rails, but figuratively it means for a plan, conversation, or person to go off track or behave erratically. La discussion a déraillé ('the discussion went off the rails') is a common figurative use. The related noun is déraillement ('derailment').
Examples
"Le train a déraillé près de Lyon."
Natural Translation
The train derailed near Lyon.
Related Words
Explore French by topic
FrenchNow
7 min read