Provençal expression

S'estrassa dóu rire

Feelings

Literal translation

to tear oneself apart with laughter

Meaning

to laugh until one can't breathe

Explanation

Laughing until one chokes, literally tearing oneself apart with laughter. The verb estrassa literally means to tear, hence uno estrasso, a rag, which passed into regional French. Figuratively, the reflexive s'estrassa means to cough violently, to choke, as in « Vé ! le petit qui s'estrasse ! », look, the kid is choking. Hence the image of laughter so violent it takes one's breath and brings on coughing, which does happen from laughing hard. The expression is so common that a shortened form, s'estrassa or s'estrasser, is enough to be understood.

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Other expressions on the same theme

Si faire uno fourro de rireto have a good laugh Si faire uno pèu de rireto have a good laugh Si prene uno estoumagadoto suffer a bitter disappointment, an emotional blow Toumba de la figuieroto be caught completely off guard, a little disappointed A toujour pòu que lis aucèu lou bècon.She is always afraid the birds will peck him. (said of a mother hen-ing over her child) À mau de cor, òli de souco.For heartache, stump oil.