This is the 10896th most frequent French word.
panne
Breakdown; failure.
In this sentence, 'panne' indicates a mechanical failure of the car.
Notre voiture est tombée en panne sur l'autoroute.
Our car broke down on the highway.
Here, 'panne' refers to an interruption in the electrical service.
Il y a eu une panne d'électricité dans le quartier.
There was a power outage in the neighborhood.
In this context, 'panne' is used metaphorically to describe the absence of ideas or inspiration.