Stray vs Chaff - What's the difference?
stray | chaff |
Any domestic animal that has an enclosure, or its proper place and company, and wanders at large, or is lost; an estray.
(figuratively) One who is lost, either literally or metaphorically.
The act of wandering or going astray.
(historical) An area of common land or place administered for the use of general domestic animals, i.e. "the stray"
To wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out of the way.
* Denham
To wander from company, or from the proper limits; to rove at large; to roam; to go astray.
(figurative) To wander from the path of duty or rectitude; to err.
* November 2 2014 , Daniel Taylor, "
To cause to stray.
* 1591 , , V. i. 51:
Having gone astray; strayed; wandering; as, a stray horse or sheep.
In the wrong place; misplaced.
The inedible parts of a grain-producing plant.
* Dryden
By extension, any excess or unwanted material, resource, or person; anything worthless.
* Shakespeare
Loose material dropped from aircraft specifically to interfere with radar detection.
Straw or hay cut up fine for the food of cattle.
* Wyatt
Light jesting talk; banter; raillery.
To use light, idle language by way of fun or ridicule; to banter.
To make fun of; to turn into ridicule by addressing in ironical or bantering language; to quiz.
In lang=en terms the difference between stray and chaff
is that stray is to cause to stray while chaff is to make fun of; to turn into ridicule by addressing in ironical or bantering language; to quiz.As nouns the difference between stray and chaff
is that stray is any domestic animal that has an enclosure, or its proper place and company, and wanders at large, or is lost; an estray while chaff is the inedible parts of a grain-producing plant.As verbs the difference between stray and chaff
is that stray is to wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out of the way while chaff is to use light, idle language by way of fun or ridicule; to banter.As an adjective stray
is having gone astray; strayed; wandering; as, a stray horse or sheep.stray
English
Noun
(en noun)Verb
(en verb)- Thames among the wanton valleys strays .
Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk
- It was a derby that left Manchester United a long way back in Manchester City’s wing-mirrors and, in the worst moments, straying dangerously close to being their own worst enemy.
- Hath not else his eye / Strayed his affection in unlawful love,
Synonyms
* deviateAdjective
(-)- a stray comma
Derived terms
* stray line * stray markReferences
Anagrams
* * *chaff
English
Noun
(-)- To separate out the chaff , early cultures tossed baskets of grain into the air and let the wind blow away the lighter chaff.
- So take the corn and leave the chaff behind.
- There are plenty of good books on the subject, but take care to separate the wheat from the chaff .
- the chaff and ruin of the times
- By adding chaff' to his corn, the horse must take more time to eat it. In this way ' chaff is very useful.