Definition of "chaffer"

To chaffer for preferment with his gold.

1700, [John] Dryden, “The Character of a Good Parson; Imitated from Chaucer, and Inlarg’d”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]

Walter declined the invitation, precisely because he wanted a dinner. He was, also, conscious that he had made a very bad bargain; but how could he chaffer and dispute about things so precious as the contents of those pages which were the very outpourings of his heart?

1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Alteration”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], page 25

While he is at the front end selling calico to some wearisome old lady, sunbonneted and chaffering, a mischievous boy is very apt to be pocketing lumps of sugar for profit, or starting the faucet of a molasses barrel for fun at the other.

1866, “Mr. Dod's Six Shots”, in Harper's Magazine‎, volume 32, page 208

But the people looked much like Caleb’s own. They wore dirty robes, chaffered at fruit stalls, spat, scratched.

1985, Anthony Burgess, Kingdom of the Wicked

The Dartie within him made him chaffer for five minutes with young Padwick concerning the favourite for the Cambridgeshire.

1922, John Galsworthy, The Forsyte Saga

vittels, and other chaffer and merchandize were excéeding cheape: for at London a quarter of wheat was sold for two shillings

1577, Raphaell Holinshed, The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison

A fan blows air through the chaffer to remove lightweight material known as chaff.

2003, William W. Casady, “Grain Harvesting Systems”, in Dennis R. Heldman, editor, Encyclopedia of Agricultural, Food, and Biological Engineering‎, page 449