Un ours mal léché, literally a “badly licked bear”, is used to describe an unsociable person. The expression appeared in the 18th century to describe someone who doesn’t mingle with the society and whose behavior is a bit rude. The expression mal léché means “impolite” or “rude”. It was believed that the bear cubs were not fully formed at their birth and that the mother bear had to licked them so that they would be perfect.
Un ours mal léché
French with Valerie 