English Explanatory Dictionary

chaff

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The inedible parts of a grain-producing plant.
  2. Straw or hay cut up fine for the food of cattle.
  3. Any excess or unwanted material, resource, or person; anything worthless.
  4. Light jesting talk; banter; raillery.
  5. Loose material, e.g. small strips of aluminum foil dropped from aircraft, intended to interfere with radar detection.
verb
  1. To use light, idle language by way of fun or ridicule; to banter.
  2. To make fun of; to turn into ridicule by addressing in ironical or bantering language.
  3. To cut up (straw or hay) for use as cattle feed.

Pronunciation

/t͡ʃæf/ /t͡ʃɑːf/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-chaff.wav

Word forms

chaff chaffs chaffing chaffed

Etymology

From Middle English chaf, from Old English ċeaf, from Proto-West Germanic *kaf. Cognate with Scots caff, Saterland Frisian Sääf, West Frisian tsjêf, Dutch kaf, German Low German Kaff, regional German Kaff.

Synonyms

window quiz

Related words

paleaceous paleous

Derived words

chaffbag chaff cutter chaff engine chaff flower chaffinch chaffless chafflike chaff tree chaffweed chaffy prickly chaff flower separate the wheat from the chaff sort the wheat from the chaff winnow grain from chaff winnow the wheat from the chaff you can't catch old birds with chaff chaffer
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