caner

Dated informal slang with two related senses: to die (il a cané, il a fini par caner) and, in an older military/schoolyard register, to chicken out or back down from a confrontation. Both senses are casual and increasingly old-fashioned.

• Le vieux chat a fini par caner l'hiver dernier. — The old cat finally died last winter.
• Il a cané au dernier moment, trop peur de se battre. — He chickened out at the last moment, too scared to fight.
• On pensait qu'il allait caner, mais il a tenu bon. — We thought he'd back down, but he held his ground.

Caner is dated, informal slang for either 'to die' or 'to chicken out' depending on context — younger speakers are more likely to know it in the 'chicken out' sense, which can cause confusion if you only expect the 'die' meaning.