1.
false accusation; unjust blame
An accusation of a wrong one did not commit. Literally "wet clothes"; the word is almost always used in fixed phrases about having blame put on one unfairly.
それは濡れ衣だ。
That's a false accusation.
The image is of wet clothing forced onto someone: the verbs are those of wearing clothes. It is idiomatic and slightly literary, but common in everyday speech and news.
Common expressions
- 濡れ衣を着せる: to falsely accuse someone; to frame someone
- 濡れ衣を着せられる: to be falsely accused
- 濡れ衣を晴らす: to clear oneself of a false charge
- 濡れ衣が晴れる: to be cleared of a false charge
Similar words
- 冤罪: false conviction — a legal term for being wrongly convicted or charged with a crime; 濡れ衣 also covers everyday blame, such as being blamed for eating someone's cake.
- 言いがかり: a trumped-up complaint — stresses the accuser's bad faith.
Related Words
Compare:
冤罪 (false conviction)