v. Obs. [f. CHAFF: cf. half, halve. The northern form in sense 2 is CAVE v.4]
1. trans. To mix or strew with chaff.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 338. Yf thou ferne it weel, or chave. Ibid., IV. 119. Do chaved cley therto.
2. To free (corn, etc.) from chaff and short straw; to separate the chaff from.
1649. Blithe, Eng. Improv. Impr. (1652), 178. Thrash it out of the straw; and then chave it or clense it from the straw.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., iii. § 4 (1681), 29. After you have thrashed it, and chaved it with a fine Rake.
1726. Dict. Rust. (ed. 3), To Cave or Chave, to separate the larger Chaff from the Corn or small Chaff.
Hence Chaved ppl. a. (see sense 1 above), Chaving vbl. sb.
1649. Blithe, Eng. Improv. Impr. (1652), 179. By chaving of it with a narrow toothed Rake.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., iii. § 4 (1681), 29. And winnowing or chaving.
