chiffe

And he applied such a contemptuously indecent epithet to Bamtz that when, later, he alluded to him as 'une chiffe' (a mere rag) it sounded quite complimentary.

Within the Tides Joseph Conrad 1890

Etymology: French, literally, rag, from chiffe old rag, alteration of Middle French chipe, from Middle English chip chip

The Big Apple 2009