expression- flake out

Question

Cual expresion seria conveniente para decir, "He flaked out on me" (es decir que no se comprometio lo suficiente)
Gracias, ME

Answer 1

I strongly suggest that Mary Elena re-enter this thread and define what she means when she uses the words "Flake out".

My dictionary defines "flake out" as: to become unconscious as through extreme exhaustion. This definition is also found at the URL given by Pablo. See:

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/flake+out

where ½ way down the page you will read:

flake out - Verb - Informal: to collapse or fall asleep from exhaustion

Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006

As I read them, none of the eight replies above are focused on the definition "Passed out" "asleep", "unconscious".

I propose Mary Elena needs to give us some direction as to what she means by "flake out".

I beg to differ Moe. Rendirse has the same sense as cansarse which means to wear oneself out which in itself can result in sleep or unconsciousness.

From what I understand, she's referring to 'flake-out' as ditching someone or standing someone up, like on a date.

• I've never heard it used that way before ! I always thought to flake out is to collapse owing to exhaustion or illness, not standing someone up. - Pibosan Mar 23, 2011
• I agree with you DesertDivine... yes, in regards to a date or some kind of agreement - Goldie_Miel Mar 23, 2011

Answer 2

To me, to 'flake out' is like 'going crazy'.

Se volvió or Se puso loco. There would be no need to explicity state that it was on you. The context of the conversation should already imply that they were interacting with you when they 'flaked out'.

I don't want to disagree with the dictionary, but I have heard this expression a number of times, and it has always been with this meaning that Nathaniel gives us: to go crazy, to lose one's mind, to start acting weird. However, this can be an aberration of the standard usage, or just a regionalism.

I think Moe and many others missed the proposed meaning the Mary Elena gave, which is altogether different from any of the proposed meanings.

Cual expresion seria conveniente para decir, "He flaked out on me" (es decir que no se comprometio lo suficiente)

Gracias, ME

Her suggested meaning (which may be altogether incorrect) would be the equivalent of "he backed out on me" or "he dropped the ball on me" or "he wimped out on me." The bottom line is that Mary Elena needs to respond with more information as to source and context, and her suggested meaning.

If I had come across this sentence in translating (and again, this is based on my exposure to this colloquialism), I would have translated it as:

"(ÿl) Se me volvió loco", or "(ÿl) Se me puso extraño/raro", depending on the context. That gets the "on me" idea in there, as well.

Answer 3

"flake" (in various constructions) became popular in the '60s An important characteristic of colloquial speech in that period (and since) was the intentional use of words in a variety of vague contexts (to a large extent this was due to a distrust of people who tried to insist on more precise terminology [the thought being that they were "over-analyzing" their feelings and that they should just "go with the flow"]). Thus, "He flaked out on the couch halfway through the party.", pretty clearly means that he fell asleep (or succumbed to booze/drugs). However one could also say "He's a flake (or He's flaky.) to mean he's weird/unreliable and this leads, in turn, to "he flaked out" meaning that he was expected to behave in a certain manner but didn't (he left/he failed to perform).

Answer 4

"flake" (in various constructions) became popular in the '60s An important characteristic of colloquial speech in that period (and since) was the intentional use of words in a variety of vague contexts (to a large extent this was due to a distrust of people who tried to insist on more precise terminology [the thought being that they were "over-analyzing" their feelings and that they should just "go with the flow"]). Thus, "He flaked out on the couch halfway through the party.", pretty clearly means that he fell asleep (or succumbed to booze/drugs). However one could also say "He's a flake (or He's flaky.) to mean he's weird/unreliable and this leads, in turn, to "he flaked out" meaning that he was expected to behave in a certain manner but didn't (he left/he failed to perform).

Yes, I have also heard the term "flaky" used to mean "unreliable, wishy-washy, unpredictable, erratic" (in addition to "weird," which is the more common sense for those in my generation [70's/80's]). I think it is a visual allusion to a flake, which can be flip-flopped back and forth by next to nothing. So I guess if you carry that out to this verb-form ("flaked out"), Mary Elena's proposed meaning could apply. I just don't think it would be understood that way by most people with whom I am familiar.

Mary Elena should let us know exactly what it is that she is trying to say, and in which language, and then I think the answer will be obvious.

Answer 5

To "flake out" on someone means to agree to do something(decir que vas a hacer algo) and not do it(y no hacerlo). A flake is someone who commits to doing things and then says they can't do what they agreed to do. A flakeeEs alguien quien constantemente dice que quiere hacer algo o que va a hacer algo pero antes de esa cosa pase, esa persona dice que no puede hacerlo por alguna razon.

Answer 6

Cual expresion seria conveniente para decir, "He flaked out on me" (es decir que no se comprometio lo suficiente)

Gracias, ME

You can use caer rendido but I am not too sure about the "on me" part.

caí rendido en la cama - I flaked out on the bed
estoy rendido - I am flaked out

Answer 7

Cual expresion seria conveniente para decir, "He flaked out on me" (es decir que no se comprometio lo suficiente)

Gracias, ME

El verbo 'deshacerse de' me suena, pero no estoy seguro.

Answer 8

Cual expresion seria conveniente para decir, "He flaked out on me" (es decir que no se comprometio lo suficiente)

Gracias, ME

You can use caer rendido but I am not too sure about the "on me" part.

caí rendido en la cama - I flaked out on the bed

estoy rendido - I am flaked out

Sorry you were talking about he.

cayó rendido en la cama - he flaked out on the bed
está rendido - he is flaked out

Answer 9

Cual expresion seria conveniente para decir, "He flaked out on me" (es decir que no se comprometio lo suficiente)

Gracias, ME

'dejar plantado' might also work. Me dejó plantado(a)...

Answer 10

How about, "se me echó para atrás"'

Answer 11

Cual expresion seria conveniente para decir, "He flaked out on me" (es decir que no se comprometio lo suficiente)

Gracias, ME

Hi Mary Elena,

I looked up: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/flake+out

so I don't know if you are trying to express that 'he lost interest on you'? If so, it could be 'El perdió interés en mi'. Here a related thread:

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php't=17916

Answer 12

so I don't know if you are trying to express that 'he lost interest **in****[/color] you'?

Here [color=red]is** a related thread:

Hi Pablo. I know you have been asking people to correct your English, so I made a few minor corrections to your message.

Answer 13

Marianne,

Feel free to do it any time, and thank you

Answer 14

To me, to 'flake out' is like 'going crazy'.

Se volvió or Se puso loco. There would be no need to explicity state that it was on you. The context of the conversation should already imply that they were interacting with you when they 'flaked out'.

Answer 15

I strongly suggest that Mary Elena re-enter this thread and define what she means when she uses the words "Flake out".

My dictionary defines "flake out" as: to become unconscious as through extreme exhaustion. This definition is also found at the URL given by Pablo. See:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/flake+out
where ½ way down the page you will read:
flake out - Verb - Informal: to collapse or fall asleep from exhaustion
Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006

As I read them, none of the eight replies above are focused on the definition "Passed out" "asleep", "unconscious".

I propose Mary Elena needs to give us some direction as to what she means by "flake out".

• Eddy's contribution is vary close to that meaning. - samdie Mar 23, 2011