Also means
to throw oneself into
Usage Note
Démener is almost always used reflexively as se démener, meaning to thrash about physically or, more commonly, to go to great lengths and work very hard for something. The phrase se démener comme un beau diable vividly describes someone putting up a fierce fight or making a frantic effort.
Examples
"Elle s'est démenée pour trouver une solution."
Natural Translation
She struggled hard to find a solution.
Literal Translation
She threw herself about to find a solution.
Related Words
Explore French by topic
FrenchNow
7 min read