glean

[gleen]

verb (used with object)

1. to gather slowly and laboriously, bit by bit.

2. to gather small amounts of (grain or the like) left behind after a harvest, nowadays often for charitable use.

3. to clear (a field, orchard, etc.) of leftover produce in this way.

   Millet’s painting The Gleaners depicts three peasant women stooping low as they glean a field of wheat.

4. to learn, discover, or find out, usually little by little or slowly.

   Synonyms: infer, extract, derive, deduce, reap, gather

verb (used without object)

1. to collect or gather anything little by little or slowly.

2. to gather what is left by reapers.

glean

/ ɡliːn /

verb

1. to gather (something) slowly and carefully in small pieces

   to glean information from the newspapers

2. to gather (the useful remnants of a crop) from the field after harvesting

Other Word Forms

• gleaner noun
• gleanable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of glean¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English glenen, from Old French glener, from Late Latin glennāre, ultimately from Celtic

Word History and Origins

Origin of glean¹

C14: from Old French glener, from Late Latin glennāre, probably of Celtic origin

Example Sentences

And, given Apple following in its footsteps, one could glean that Netflix has gained a significant foothold in how modern movies are released and enjoyed.

From Salon

“And every time he started speaking, it was dead silent in the room, so that we could listen and just understand his mind and glean ideas from this icon in the rehearsal room.”

From Los Angeles Times

There’s not that much emotional insight to glean from forcing Lily to become her potential step-grandmother, a stranger she barely knows.

From Los Angeles Times

If any intelligence was gleaned, it would have been on the deep divide between these two men trying hard to collaborate while defeating the Japanese.

From Salon

The Texas Newsroom was able to glean some additional insight on lobbyist influence from records received through public information requests.

From Salon

Related Words

• cull 
• deduce 
• extract 
• garner 
• gather 
• learn 
• reap 
• sift