winnow

American  

[win-oh] / ˈwɪn oʊ /

verb (used with object)

1. to free (grain) from the lighter particles of chaff, dirt, etc., especially 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 followed byout ).

   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)

1. to free grain from chaff by wind or driven air.

2. to fly with flapping wings; flutter.

noun

1. a device or contrivance used for winnowing.

2. an act of winnowing.

winnow British  

/ ˈwɪnəʊ /

verb

1. to separate (grain) from (chaff) by means of a wind or current of air

2. (tr) to examine in order to select the desirable elements

3. archaic (tr) to beat (the air) with wings

4. rare (tr) to blow upon; fan

---

noun

1. 1. a device for winnowing

   2. the act or process of winnowing

Other Word Forms

• unwinnowed adjective
• winnower noun

Etymology

Origin of winnow

before 900; Middle English win ( d ) wen (v.), Old English windwian, derivative of wind wind ¹

Related Words

• analyze
• discriminate
• distinguish
• separate
• sift