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winnow

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win⋅now

  [win-oh]
Use winnow in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to free (grain) from the lighter particles of chaff, dirt, etc., esp. by throwing it into the air and allowing the wind or a forced current of air to blow away impurities.
2. to drive or blow (chaff, dirt, etc.) away by fanning.
3. to blow upon; fan.
4. to subject to some process of separating or distinguishing; analyze critically; sift: to winnow a mass of statements.
5. to separate or distinguish (valuable from worthless parts) (sometimes fol. by out): to winnow falsehood from truth.
6. to pursue (a course) with flapping wings in flying.
7. to fan or stir (the air) as with the wings in flying.
–verb (used without object)
8. to free grain from chaff by wind or driven air.
9. to fly with flapping wings; flutter.
–noun
10. a device or contrivance used for winnowing.
11. an act of winnowing.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME win(d)wen (v.), OE windwian, deriv. of wind wind 1

Related forms:
win⋅now⋅er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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win·now   (wĭn'ō)   
v.   win·nowed, win·now·ing, win·nows

v.   tr.

    1. To separate the chaff from (grain) by means of a current of air.

    2. To rid of undesirable parts.

    3. To separate or get rid of (an undesirable part); eliminate: winnowing out the errors in logic.

    4. To sort or select (a desirable part); extract.

  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.

    1. To separate or get rid of (an undesirable part); eliminate: winnowing out the errors in logic.

    2. To sort or select (a desirable part); extract.

v.   intr.

  1. To separate grain from chaff.

  2. To separate the good from the bad.

n.  

  1. A device for winnowing grain.

  2. An act of winnowing.


[Middle English winnewen, alteration of windwen, from Old English windwian, from wind, wind; see wind1.]
win'now·er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Bible Dictionary

Winnow

Corn was winnowed, (1.) 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. (2.) 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).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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