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chaff1

Syllabification: (chaff)

Pronunciation: /CHaf/

Definition of chaff

the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing or threshing.
chopped hay and straw used as fodder.
worthless things; trash.
strips of metal foil or metal filings released in the atmosphere from aircraft, or deployed as missiles, to obstruct radar detection or confuse radar-tracking missiles.

Phrases

separate the wheat from the chaff: distinguish valuable people or things from worthless ones.

Old English cæf, ceaf, probably from a Germanic base meaning 'gnaw'; related to Dutch kaf, also to chafer

Definition of chaff in the British & World English dictionary

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