noun
Javert
noun
1
Someone who hunts down a person they believe has done wrong, with rigid, relentless determination.
"The auditor became a real Javert once he suspected fraud."
"She played the Javert of the office, tracking every minor rule-break."
How to Use Javert
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA relentless pursuer, named after the famous fictional inspector.
Memory tip
Usually used with "a" or "like a" — "he was like a Javert about it."
Trace the full origin ↓Word Forms
Javerts plural
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The auditor became a real _____ once he suspected fraud.
Etymology
Named after Inspector Javert, the unyielding police officer who chases the hero across Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables.