Example: Après des semaines de travail, il était au bout du rouleau.
Definition
"Être au bout du rouleau" means to be completely exhausted or worn out, both physically and mentally. It describes a state where someone has no energy or strength left, often after prolonged effort or stress, as in feeling utterly drained after continuous work.
Translations
To be exhausted
Estar al límite
Er helemaal doorheen zitten
Estar al límit
Am Ende seiner Kräfte sein
Etymology
The phrase "être au bout du rouleau" literally translates to 'to be at the end of the roll.' It originates from the image of a roll of material, like fabric or paper, which becomes useless once it is fully unrolled. This metaphor illustrates total depletion of resources or energy. Did you know? This expression vividly captures the feeling of having nothing left to give.
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"Être au bout du rouleau" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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To be exhausted