traîne

train (of a dress)

noun TREHN Rare

Also means

lagging behind (idiom: à la traîne)

Usage Note

traîne primarily refers to the trailing skirt or train of a formal dress. The idiomatic phrase être à la traîne means to lag behind or trail the pack — used in sports, business, or education. Both senses come from the verb traîner (to drag). Note the circumflex on the î.

Examples

"Sa robe avait une longue traîne blanche."

Natural Translation

Her dress had a long white train.

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