Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For Bird, the most difficult thing was winnowing down a final list of 20 films.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 22, 2020
A solitary marsh-hawk, far over by the rail fence, was winnowing slowly, slowly hither and thither, lazily hunting.
From The Watchers of the Trails A Book of Animal Life by Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts
At intervals the cannon boomed, and Schofields' Henry was winnowing the air with his bell; nobody had a better time that day than Schofields' Henry, except old Wilkerson, who was with the procession.
From The Gentleman from Indiana by Booth Tarkington
In a field hard by, a threshing machine was winnowing the Argive grain,—a thing of wonder to the inhabitants, probably an object of suspicion,—the property of a rich land-owner.
From From the Oak to the Olive A Plain record of a Pleasant Journey by Julia Ward Howe
Once upon a time a farmer's wife was winnowing corn, when a crow, flying past, swooped off with a grain from the winnowing basket and perched on a tree close by to eat it.
From Tales of the Punjab by Flora Annie Steel
