Lifting the apron

[nsa]

There is a phrase that I read in a US paper about DSK but I can't remember exactly how it went. Something like "lifting the apron" with respect to sleeping with domestic service workers. Can anybody tell me if this is correct and give me the French version?

[Cunning Punt]

Lever le tablier.

In this context, it's approximate in meaning (and desuetude) to the English deflower.

'punt

[PottyMouth]

"Lever le tablier" for me refers to the defloration of a virgin.

Since the lady in question is far from being a virgin, I'd be tempted to use the word "souiller" which has a very sordid, rough connotation....

[nickfrog]

No the expression that came out on the DSK case (through a famous journalist called Jean-Francois Kahn) was "droit de cuissage" which is a very old expression that refers to a medieval practice and legal right that allowed aristocrats or land owners to have sex with their staff. Cuisse in French is thigh.

[nsa]

Haha. Thanks very much!

[Fanelli]

The more polite version is "droit de seigneur" which is still used in England in certain circles.