What does “se braquer” mean in French?

When a person se braque, they stop listening and refuse to change their mind. It is a very common French way to say someone becomes defensive or stubborn quickly — often the moment they hear criticism. The verb braquer first means to turn or aim something, including the steering wheel of a car. So a person who se braque “locks the wheel hard to one side” and will not move.

The clip is a joke quiz: each clue could fit “Christine Bravo” (a French TV personality) or “Fiat Bravo” (a car). One clue is “elle se braque facilement.” The joke works both ways at once: a car that braque easily turns its wheels sharply to full lock, while a person who se braque easily gets defensive and digs in fast. That double meaning is the whole gag. In everyday speech you will hear “Ne lui dis rien, il se braque tout de suite” — “Don’t say anything to him, he gets defensive straight away.” You can also use braquer quelqu’un without the reflexive: “Tu vas le braquer si tu insistes” — “You will make him shut down if you keep pushing.” The plain verb braquer also means to point or aim (a camera, a light), and in informal French a braqueur is someone who robs a place with a weapon.