Very Informalverb
svalvolare
to go off the rails, to act crazy, to malfunction
Literal Translation
"to lose a valve"
Formal Equivalent
impazzire, comportarsi in modo strano
Examples in Context
"Dopo tre cocktail ha completamente svalvolato."
"After three cocktails he completely went off the rails."
"Il computer sta svalvolando, si blocca ogni cinque minuti."
"The computer is going haywire, it freezes every five minutes."
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Cultural Note
Comes from mechanical imagery — a valve that stops working. Used both for people acting erratically and for technology malfunctioning. Less common than 'sclerare' or 'sbroccare' but still well understood. Adds a humorous, almost cartoonish tone.
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