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)

  1. When you blow on grains of rice to remove chaff, this is an example of a time when you winnow.
  2. 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.

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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
  1. to blow away; scatter
  2. 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)
  3. 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

  1. the act of winnowing
  2. an apparatus for winnowing

Related Forms:

See winnow in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb win·nowed, win·now·ing, win·nows
verb, transitive
  1. a. To separate the chaff from (grain) by means of a current of air.
    b. To rid of undesirable parts.
  2. To blow (chaff) off or away.
  3. To blow away; scatter.
  4. To blow on; fan: a breeze winnowing the tall grass.
  5. To examine closely in order to separate the good from the bad; sift.
  6. 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.
verb, intransitive
  1. To separate grain from chaff.
  2. To separate the good from the bad.
noun
  1. A device for winnowing grain.
  2. An act of winnowing.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English winnewen

Origin: , alteration of windwen

Origin: , from Old English windwian

Origin: , from wind, wind; see wind1

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Related Forms:

  • winˈnow·er noun

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