idiom
separate the wheat from the chaff
SEP-uh-rayt the WEET from the CHAF
ˈsɛpəreɪt ðə wiːt frɒm ðə tʃæfListen
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Syllable breakdown
separatethewheatfromthechaff
Dictionary meaning
Distinguish the valuable from the worthless; identify what matters among a larger undifferentiated mass
History and origin
Refers to the ancient process of winnowing grain; appears in the Bible (Matthew 3:12)
Examples
- The editor's job is to separate the wheat from the chaff among hundreds of submitted manuscripts.
- After receiving dozens of proposals, the committee worked to separate the wheat from the chaff.
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