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

• gleanable adjective
• gleaner noun

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

There’s nothing here that the viewer can’t glean from the documentary, and in fact, the doc is a far more edifying and affecting work than Safdie’s stylish regurgitation.

From Salon

The Israeli government will now be poring over the wording of the statement to glean the true intent.

From BBC

Obviously, it’s hard to glean the timetable when the experience is edited down, but it seemed like you revealed your race pretty early on and it wasn’t exactly by choice.

From Los Angeles Times

We do not glean much more than we already knew or assumed about President Biden’s life-changing 2024 phone call that set Harris on this path.

From Los Angeles Times

In the Kirk case, Katherine Schweit, a former FBI agent and prosecutor, said investigators will be busy tracking Robinson's online communications and interactions with friends and family members to glean more information.

From BBC

Related Words

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