the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing or threshing, worthless things; rubbish, light-hearted joking; banter

blow away the chaff, separate the men from the boys (or women from the girls), throw caution to the wind(s)

separate the wheat from the chaff, chaff cutter, chaff bag

Formal and Informal Expressions of chaff

In different contexts, you can replace 'chaff' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'husks, rubbish' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'junk, nonsense' is a commonplace synonym.

chaff: Explore its Definition & Usage

chaff Definition

1the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing or threshing
2worthless things; rubbish
3light-hearted joking; banter

Using chaff: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "chaff" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
The farmer separated the wheat from the chaff.
Example
The book was full of chaff and lacked substance.
Example
The group engaged in friendly chaff during their game night.

chaff Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for chaff

Antonyms for chaff

Idioms Using chaff

blow away the chaff
to remove the worthless or unimportant parts of something
Example
We need to blow away the chaff and focus on the most important aspects of this project.
separate the men from the boys (or women from the girls)
to distinguish those who are truly skilled or capable from those who are not
Example
This competition will separate the men from the boys and show who is truly the best.
throw caution to the wind(s)
to take a risk without worrying about the consequences
Example
He threw caution to the wind and quit his job to pursue his dream.

Phrases with chaff

separate the wheat from the chaff
to distinguish valuable people or things from worthless ones
Example
It's important to separate the wheat from the chaff when hiring new employees.
chaff cutter
a machine used to cut straw or hay into small pieces
Example
The farmer used a chaff cutter to prepare food for his livestock.
chaff bag
a bag used to collect chaff during threshing
Example
The workers filled several chaff bags with the leftover husks.

Origins of chaff

from Old English 'ceaf', meaning 'husks of corn'

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Summary: chaff in Brief

The term 'chaff' [chaf] refers to the husks of corn or other seeds separated by threshing, as well as to worthless things or light-hearted joking. It can be used in phrases like 'separate the wheat from the chaff,' meaning to distinguish valuable from worthless things, or 'blow away the chaff,' meaning to remove unimportant parts. 'Chaff' can also be used in idioms like 'throw caution to the wind(s),' meaning to take a risk without worrying about the consequences.