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lavette

dishcloth, floor cloth

noun lah-VET Rare

Also means

wimp, doormat (informal)

Usage Note

Lavette literally refers to a small cloth used for washing dishes or floors. In popular French usage it is a cutting insult meaning a spineless, weak person — equivalent to 'doormat' or 'wimp'. Context makes the sense clear: essuie la table avec la lavette (cleaning) vs quelle lavette! (insult).

Examples

"Passe la lavette sur le plan de travail."

Natural Translation

Wipe the worktop with the dishcloth.

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