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maille

stitch, mesh

noun MY Rare
Home & Lifestyle Materials

Origin: from Old French maille, from Latin macula (spot, mesh)

Also means

link (of chain)

Usage Note

Maille is the basic unit of a knitted or woven fabric: tricoter une maille means 'to knit a stitch'. In armour, cotte de mailles is a coat of chainmail. The idiom avoir maille à partir avec quelqu'un (literally 'to have a stitch to divide with someone') means to have a bone to pick with someone — a survival of an old monetary dispute sense.

Examples

"Elle a lâché une maille en tricotant le pull."

Natural Translation

She dropped a stitch while knitting the jumper.

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