
Chaff
Agricultural Origin
Originally refers to leftover parts during grain harvest, not the edible kernels.

Threshing machines help to break the grain free of the chaff.
Metaphoric Use
Used metaphorically to differentiate valuable things from worthless ones.

After some discussion, they could separate the clever ideas from the chaff.
Historical Context
Understanding historic grain processing can clarify this term's figurative use.

In history, winnowing was a common way to remove chaff from the grain.
Compare with
BranDebrisDetritusHuskRefuseShuckStrawStubble
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