'Winnow' definitions:
Definition of 'winnow'
(from WordNet)
noun
The act of separating grain from chaff; "the winnowing was done by women" [syn: winnow, winnowing, sifting]
verb
Separate the chaff from by using air currents; "She stood there winnowing chaff all day in the field" [syn: winnow, fan]
verb
Blow on; "The wind was winnowing her hair"; "the wind winnowed the grass"
verb
Select desirable parts from a group or list; "cull out the interesting letters from the poet's correspondence"; "winnow the finalists from the long list of applicants" [syn: cull out, winnow]
verb
Blow away or off with a current of air; "winnow chaff"
Definition of 'Winnow'
From: GCIDE
- Winnow \Win"now\ (w[i^]n"n[-o]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Winnowed (w[i^]n"n[-o]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Winnowing.] [OE. windewen, winewen, AS. windwian; akin to Goth. winpjan (in comp.), winpi-skauro a fan, L. ventilare to fan, to winnow; cf. L. wannus a fan for winnowing, G. wanne, OHG. wanna. [root]131. See Wind moving air, and cf. Fan., n., Ventilate.] [1913 Webster]
- 1. To separate, and drive off, the chaff from by means of wind; to fan; as, to winnow grain. [1913 Webster]
- Ho winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing floor. --Ruth. iii. 2. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To sift, as for the purpose of separating falsehood from truth; to separate, as bad from good. [1913 Webster]
- Winnow well this thought, and you shall find This light as chaff that flies before the wind. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To beat with wings, or as with wings.[Poetic] [1913 Webster]
- Now on the polar winds; then with quick fan Winnows the buxom air. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Winnow'
From: GCIDE
- Winnow \Win"now\, v. i. To separate chaff from grain. [1913 Webster]
- Winnow not with every wind. --Ecclus. v. 9. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'winnow'
From: Easton
- Winnow Corn was winnowed,
- By being thrown up by a shovel against the wind. As a rule this was done in the evening or during the night, when the west wind from the sea was blowing, which was a moderate breeze and fitted for the purpose. The north wind was too strong, and the east wind came in gusts.
- By the use of a fan or van, by which the chaff was blown away (Ruth 3:2; Isa. 30:24; Jer. 4:11, 12; Matt. 3:12).
Synonyms of 'winnow'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- aerate,
- air,
- air out,
- air-condition,
- air-cool,
- airify,
- analyze,
- appraise,
- assess,
- bolt,
- catalog,
- categorize,
- choose out,
- clarifier,
- clarify,
- class,
- classify,
- clear,
- colander,
- comb,
- contradistinguish,
- cordon,
- cordon off,
- cradle,
- cribble,
- cross-ventilate,
- cull,
- cull out,
- decide between,
- decrassify,
- demarcate,
- demark,
- depurate,
- differentiate,
- discriminate,
- distill,
- distinguish,
- divide,
- draw the line,
- edulcorate,
- elute,
- essentialize,
- evaluate,
- excerpt,
- extract,
- factor,
- fan,
- filter,
- filtrate,
- freshen,
- gauge,
- ghettoize,
- gin,
- glean,
- group,
- handpick,
- identify,
- insulate,
- isolate,
- keep apart,
- keep aside,
- lay aside,
- leach,
- lixiviate,
- lixiviator,
- make a selection,
- mark the interface,
- oxygenate,
- oxygenize,
- percolate,
- percolator,
- pick,
- pick out,
- purifier,
- purify,
- put aside,
- quarantine,
- rectify,
- refine,
- refiner,
- refinery,
- refresh,
- riddle,
- rocker,
- ruffle,
- screen,
- screen out,
- seclude,
- segregate,
- select,
- separate,
- set a limit,
- set apart,
- set aside,
- set off,
- sever,
- severalize,
- sieve,
- sieve out,
- sift,
- sift out,
- sifter,
- single out,
- sort,
- sort out,
- spiritualize,
- split hairs,
- strain,
- strainer,
- subdivide,
- sublimate,
- sublime,
- subtilize,
- thrash,
- thrash out,
- thresh,
- try,
- ventilate,
- weigh,
- wind,
- winnowing basket,
- winnowing fan,
- winnowing machine