Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

separate the wheat from the chaff

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.72 in modern English

Syllables
sep-a-rate the wheat from the chaff
IPA
58
Scrabble Score
28
Letters
3
Syllables
12
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To select only that which is of value.

Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

The figurative sense is by extension from the literal sense, which is threshing. Because threshing has been an important activity for humans for thousands of years, it is well represented both in folk wisdom and (relatedly) in the Bible; for example, Matthew 3:12.

Usage

Inflected Forms

separates the wheat from the chaff (present, singular) separating the wheat from the chaff (participle, present) separated the wheat from the chaff (participle, past) separated the wheat from the chaff (past)

Phrases

wheat and tares

Frequently Paired Words

wheat and tares

Synonyms

sort the wheat from the chaff winnow the wheat from the chaff winnow winnow grain from chaff

Questions

What does separate the wheat from the chaff mean?
To select only that which is of value.
Where does separate the wheat from the chaff come from?
The figurative sense is by extension from the literal sense, which is threshing. Because threshing has been an important activity for humans for thousands of years, it is well represented both in folk wisdom and (relatedly) in the Bible; for example, Matthew 3:12.

How to pronounce separate the wheat from the chaff

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