Pronunciation: [pay da lay da(n) la shoo croot]
Meaning: To be at a complete loss, getting nowhere fast, spinning one's wheels
Literal translation: To pedal in the sauerkraut
Register: familiar
Notes: This is one of my favorite French expressions. Pédaler dans la choucroute offers a fantastic visual image of someone working like crazy but getting exactly nowhere. It's also completely bizarre - why on Earth would anyone be riding a bike in a bowl of sauerkraut?
Example
Ce n'est pas la peine de continuer à chercher - tu pédales dans la choucroute.
Don't bother continuing to search - you're spinning your wheels.
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Synonymous expressions:
