chaff
1[ chaf, chahf ]
/ tʃæf, tʃɑf /
noun
the husks of grains and grasses that are separated during threshing.
straw cut up for fodder.
worthless matter; refuse.
the membranous, usually dry, brittle bracts of the flowers of certain plants.
Also called window. Military. strips of metal foil dropped by an aircraft to confuse enemy radar by creating false blips.
Nearby words
chaetopod, chaetotaxy, chafe, chafer, chafeweed, chaff, chaffer, chaffinch, chaffy, chafing dish, chaga
Origin of chaff
1before 1000; Middle English chaf, Old English ceaf; cognate with Middle Low German, Dutch kaf
Related forms
chaff·less, adjectivechaff·like, adjectiveDefinition for chaff (2 of 2)
chaff
2[ chaf, chahf ]
/ tʃæf, tʃɑf /
verb (used with or without object)
to mock, tease, or jest in a good-natured way; banter: She chaffed him for working late. They joked and chaffed with each other.
noun
good-natured ridicule or teasing; raillery.
Origin of chaff
2First recorded in 1640–50; perhaps from chaff1
Related forms
chaff·ing·ly, adverbun·chaffed, adjectiveun·chaff·ing, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for chaff
British Dictionary definitions for chaff (1 of 2)
chaff
1/ (tʃɑːf) /
noun
the mass of husks, etc, separated from the seeds during threshing
finely cut straw and hay used to feed cattle
something of little worth; rubbish (esp in the phrase separate the wheat from the chaff)
the dry membranous bracts enclosing the flowers of certain composite plants
thin strips of metallic foil released into the earth's atmosphere to confuse radar signals and prevent detection
Derived Forms
chaffy, adjectiveWord Origin for chaff
Old English ceaf; related to Old High German keva husk
British Dictionary definitions for chaff (2 of 2)
chaff
2/ (tʃɑːf) /
noun
light-hearted teasing or joking; banter
verb
to tease good-naturedly; banter
Derived Forms
chaffer, nounWord Origin for chaff
C19: probably slang variant of chafe, perhaps influenced by chaff 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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