1. The glumes or husks of grains and grasses separated from the seed by threshing and winnowing, etc.
So take the corn and leave the chaff behind.
Dryden.
Old birds are not caught with caff.
Old Proverb.
2. Anything of a comparatively light and worthless character; the refuse part of anything.
The chaff and ruin of the times.
Shak.