winnow

[ win-oh ]

/ ˈwɪn oʊ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR winnow ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

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.

to drive or blow (chaff, dirt, etc.) away by fanning.

to blow upon; fan.

to subject to some process of separating or distinguishing; analyze critically; sift: to winnow a mass of statements.

to separate or distinguish (valuable from worthless parts) (sometimes followed by out): to winnow falsehood from truth.

to pursue (a course) with flapping wings in flying.

to fan or stir (the air) as with the wings in flying.

verb (used without object)

to free grain from chaff by wind or driven air.

to fly with flapping wings; flutter.

noun

a device or contrivance used for winnowing.

an act of winnowing.

RELATED WORDS

stir, fan, scatter, puff

Nearby words

winnipegosis, winnipegosis, lake, winnipesaukee, winnipesaukee, lake, winnock, winnow, winnowing, winny, wino, winona, winslet

Origin of winnow

before 900; Middle English win(d)wen (v.), Old English windwian, derivative of wind wind¹

Related forms

win·now·er, nounun·win·nowed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for winnowing

Winnowing down countless artifacts to compile A History of New York in 101 Objects was challenging enough.
We All Have a Rosebud in Our Pasts|Sam Roberts|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Winnowing it down to the 10 best series was a near-impossible task.
The Best TV Shows of 2013: ‘Orange Is the New Black,’ ‘Breaking Bad’ and More|Kevin Fallon|December 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Each one represents the endpoint of a long process of winnowing, pruning and perfecting, driven entirely by the market.
Consider the Washing Machine|Justin Green|September 28, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Well, it performs more of a winnowing function in GOP contests, where the evangelical vote can be as high as 40 percent.
Iowa Caucuses Are as Distorted as a Funhouse Mirror|Howard Kurtz|January 2, 2012|DAILY BEAST

It should not be winnowing candidates at this stage in the game.
GOP Players’ Iowa Test|John Avlon|August 11, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The winnowing basket was used to work off the chaff from the threshed grain.
Agricultural Implements and Machines in the Collection of the National Museum of History and Technology|John T. Schlebecker
I cannot but think a winnowing time will come after this ingathering of souls.
The Life of the Rev. George Whitefield, Volume I (of 2)|Luke Tyerman
One or two mortarsful is thus threshed and put aside on a winnowing tray.
The Bontoc Igorot|Albert Ernest Jenks
Butel-Dumont describes the sieves and winnowing fans of the Louisiana Indians.
Prehistoric Textile Art of Eastern United States|William Henry Holmes
In one corner stood a heap of straw and a winnowing machine, under which half a dozen rats scampered as we came in.
Sporting Society, Vol. II (of 2)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for winnowing

winnow

/ (ˈwɪnəʊ) /

verb

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

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

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

(tr) rare to blow upon; fan

noun

a device for winnowing
the act or process of winnowing

Derived Forms

winnower, noun

Word Origin for winnow

Old English windwian; related to Old High German wintōn, Gothic diswinthjan, Latin ventilāre. See wind 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012