winnow

To winnow is to use an air current on grain in order to blow away chaff, or to separate out the best specimens.

(verb)

When you blow on grains of rice to remove chaff, this is an example of a time when you winnow.
When you make members of a team keep competing and you eliminate the losers until you are left with only the five best players, this is an example of a time when you winnow down the players.

See winnow in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

1. to blow the chaff from (grain) by wind or a forced current of air
2. to blow off (chaff) in this manner
to blow away; scatter
to analyze or examine carefully in order to separate the various elements; sift
1. to separate out or eliminate (the poor or useless parts)
2. to sort out or extract (the good or useful parts)
Now Rare to fan with or as with the wings

Origin: ME winewen < OE windwian, to winnow < wind, wind

intransitive verb

to winnow grain

noun

Related Forms:

See winnow in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb win·nowed, win·now·ing, win·nows

verb, transitive

a. To separate the chaff from (grain) by means of a current of air.
b. To rid of undesirable parts.
To blow (chaff) off or away.
To blow away; scatter.
To blow on; fan: a breeze winnowing the tall grass.
To examine closely in order to separate the good from the bad; sift.
a. To separate or get rid of (an undesirable part); eliminate: winnowing out the errors in logic.
b. To sort or select (a desirable part); extract.