draff
(drɑːf, -æ-)
Forms: 3–5 draf, (3 drof, 4–5 draft, 5 draaf, drafe, 5–7 draffe), 5– draff, (7 draugh).
[early ME. draf, prob. repr. an unrecorded OE. *dræf, corresp. to MDu. and Du. draf, Icel. draf, Sw. draf, Da. drav sediment of a brewing, grains, husks, OHG. *trab, pl. trebir, MHG. treber, Ger. träber grains, husks, etc.:—OTeut. type *traƀaz neuter. Cf. also Ir. and Gael. drabh grains of malt, prob. from English.]
Refuse, dregs, lees; wash or swill given to swine; hog's-wash; spec. the refuse or grains of malt after brewing or distilling; brewer's grains.
| c 1205 Lay. 29256 He gon ȝeoten draf and chaf and aten. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3582 Moyses..dede ðat calf melten in fir..And mengde in water..And gaf ðat folc drinken ðat drof. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. xi. 11 Hogges..draf weore hem leuere Þen al þe presciouse Peerles. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 171 Þei diversen fro Goddis lawe, as draf diversiþ fro clene drynke. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 580 If their appetite With draf of win be fed. 1522 More De quat. Noviss. Wks. 73/2 A sow contente with draffe durt and mire. 1671 Milton Samson 573 Till vermin or the draff of servile food Consume me. 1688 R. Holme Armoury ii. 181/2 Washings..necessary for keeping of Swine..Whey Butter-milk, Dish-water, any kind of Draff. 1875 A. Smith Hist. Aberdeensh. I. 559 Animals..fed off by the dregs or draff at the Distillery. |
b. transf. and fig.
| c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 312 To wryte The draf of stories, and forgo the corn. c 1555 Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (Camden) 296 The draffs of filthy errors. 1643 Milton Divorce Introd. (1851) 6 The brood of Belial, the draffe of men. 1878 Dowden Stud. Lit. 45 Examples that have survived the chaff and draff of the time. |
c. Proverbs.
| 1546 J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 22 The still sowe eats vp all the draffe. Ibid. 26 Draffe is your errand, but drinke ye wolde. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iv. ii. 105 Still Swine eats all the draugh. c 1598 D. Ferguson Scot. Prov. (1785) 5 (Jam.) As the sow fills the draff sours. |
d. Comb., as draff-drink, draff-midden, draff-pock, draff-trough, draff-tub; draff-cheap adj. Also draffsack.
| c 1450 Henryson Mor. Fab. 7 A Sow, to whom men..Into her draffe-troch would sow precious stanes. c 1470 Henry Wallace ii. 257 Thai kest him our..In a draff myddyn. 1568 Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees 1835) 282 One draffe tub iiij{supd}. a 1661 Rutherford Lett. (1765) i. l. (Jam.) The best regenerate have their defilements, and if I may speak so, their draff pock that will clog behind them all their days. 1807 Tannahill Poems 103 (Jam.) Thanks is but a draff-cheap phrase. |