Also means
to fail badly
Usage Note
Merder is a vulgar informal verb derived from merde (shit), meaning to go wrong, screw up, or fail spectacularly. It is used in expressions like ça merde ('it's going to hell') or j'ai merdé ('I screwed up'). Register is decidedly coarse; avoid in formal speech.
Examples
"Le projet a vraiment merdé dès le début."
Natural Translation
The project really messed up from the start.

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