Chaff

Chaff
Chaff Chaff, n. [AC. ceaf; akin to D. kaf, G. kaff.] [1913 Webster] 1. The glumes or husks of grains and grasses separated from the seed by threshing and winnowing, etc. [1913 Webster]

So take the corn and leave the chaff behind. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

Old birds are not caught with caff. --Old Proverb. [1913 Webster]

2. Anything of a comparatively light and worthless character; the refuse part of anything. [1913 Webster]

The chaff and ruin of the times. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. Straw or hay cut up fine for the food of cattle. [1913 Webster]

By adding chaff to his corn, the horse must take more time to eat it. In this way chaff is very useful. --Ywatt. [1913 Webster]

4. Light jesting talk; banter; raillery. [1913 Webster]

5. (Bot.) The scales or bracts on the receptacle, which subtend each flower in the heads of many Composit[ae], as the sunflower. --Gray. [1913 Webster]

{Chaff cutter}, a machine for cutting, up straw, etc., into ``chaff'' for the use of cattle. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • chaff — chaff·ing·ly; chaff·less; chaff; chiff·chaff; …   English syllables

  • chaff — Ⅰ. chaff [1] ► NOUN 1) the husks of grain or other seed separated by winnowing or threshing. 2) chopped hay and straw used as fodder. ● separate (or sort) the wheat from the chaff Cf. ↑sort the wheat from the chaff …   English terms dictionary

  • chaff|y — «CHAF ee, CHAHF », adjective. 1. full of chaff. 2. consisting of chaff. 3. Figurative. like chaff; worthless. 4. Botany. paleaceous …   Useful english dictionary

  • Chaff — Chaff, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Chaffed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Chaffing}.] To use light, idle language by way of fun or ridicule; to banter. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Chaff — Chaff, v. t. To make fun of; to turn into ridicule by addressing in ironical or bantering language; to quiz. [1913 Webster] Morgan saw that his master was chaffing him. Thackeray. [1913 Webster] A dozen honest fellows . . . chaffed each other… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • chaff — [tʃa:f US tʃæf] n [U] [: Old English; Origin: ceaf] 1.) the outer seed covers that are separated from grain before it is used as food 2.) dried grasses and plant stems that are used for food for farm animals →separate the wheat from the chaff at… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • chaff — [n] waste crust, debris, dregs, husks, pod, refuse, remains, rubbish, shard, shell, trash; concept 679 chaff [v] joke, ridicule banter, deride, fun, jeer, jolly, josh, kid, mock, rag*, rally, razz*, rib*, scoff, taunt, tease; concept 273 …   New thesaurus

  • chaff — index jape, mock (deride), ridicule Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • chaff — (n.) husks, O.E. ceaf, probably from P.Gmc. *kaf to gnaw, chew (Cf. M.Du. kaf, Ger. Kaff), from PIE root *gep(h) jaw, mouth …   Etymology dictionary

  • chaff — vb *banter, kid, rag, jolly, rib, josh Analogous words: tease, tantalize, *worry: *ridicule, deride, twit, taunt …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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