Winnow

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: win=now

CIDE DICTIONARY

Winnow, v. t. [OE. windewen, winewen, AS. windwian; akin to Goth. winpjan (in comp.), winpi-skauro a fan, L. ventilare to fan, to winnow; cf. L. wannus a fan for winnowing, G. wanne, OHG. wanna. Wind moving air, and cf. Fan., n., Ventilate.].

•  To separate, and drive off, the chaff from by means of wind; to fan; as, to winnow grain.  [1913 Webster]

  "Ho winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing floor."  [1913 Webster]
•  To sift, as for the purpose of separating falsehood from truth; to separate, as bad from good.  [1913 Webster]

  "Winnow well this thought, and you shall find
  This light as chaff that flies before the wind."  [1913 Webster]
•  To beat with wings, or as with wings.  [1913 Webster]

  "Now on the polar winds; then with quick fan
  Winnows the buxom air."  [1913 Webster]

Winnow, v. i. 

 To separate chaff from grain.  [1913 Webster]
"Winnow not with every wind."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Winnow, v.tr.
1 blow (grain) free of chaff etc. by an air-current.
2 (foll. by out, away, from, etc.) get rid of (chaff etc.) from grain.
3 a sift, separate; clear of refuse or inferior specimens. b sift or examine (evidence for falsehood etc.). c clear, sort, or weed out (rubbish etc.).
4 poet. a fan (the air with wings). b flap (wings). c stir (the hair etc.).

Derivative

winnower n. (in senses 1, 2).

Etymology

OE windwian (as WIND(1))

THESAURUS

Winnow

aerate, air, air out, air-condition, air-cool, airify, analyze, appraise, assess, bolt, catalog, categorize, choose out, clarifier, clarify, class, classify, clear, colander, comb, contradistinguish, cordon, cordon off, cradle, cribble, cross-ventilate, cull, cull out, decide between, decrassify, demarcate, demark, depurate, differentiate, discriminate, distill, distinguish, divide, draw the line, edulcorate, elute, essentialize, evaluate, excerpt, extract, factor, fan, filter, filtrate, freshen, gauge, ghettoize, gin, glean, group, handpick, identify, insulate, isolate, keep apart, keep aside, lay aside, leach, lixiviate, lixiviator, make a selection, mark the interface, oxygenate, oxygenize, percolate, percolator, pick, pick out, purifier, purify, put aside, quarantine, rectify, refine, refiner, refinery, refresh, riddle, rocker, ruffle, screen, screen out, seclude, segregate, select, separate, set a limit, set apart, set aside, set off, sever, severalize, sieve, sieve out, sift, sift out, sifter, single out, sort, sort out, spiritualize, split hairs, strain, strainer, subdivide, sublimate, sublime, subtilize, thrash, thrash out, thresh, try, ventilate, weigh, wind, winnowing basket, winnowing fan, winnowing machine

ROGET THESAURUS

Winnow

Choice

VB offers one's choice, set before, hold out the alternative, present the alternative, offer the alternative, put to the vote, use option, use discretion, exercise option, exercise discretion, one's option, adopt, take up, embrace, espouse, choose, elect, opt for, take one's choice, make one's choice, make choice of, fix upon, vote, poll, hold up one's hand, divide, settle, decide, list, make up one's mind, select, pick and choose, pick out, single out, cull, glean, winnow, sift the chaff from the wheat, separate the chaff from the wheat, winnow the chaff from the wheat, pick up, pitch upon, pick one's way, indulge one's fancy, set apart, mark out for, mark, prefer, have rather, have as lief, fancy, be persuaded, take a decided step, take a decisive step, commit oneself to a course, pass the Rubicon, cross the Rubicon, cast in one's lot with, take for better or for worse.

Cleanness

VB be clean, render clean, clean, cleanse, mundify, rinse, wring, flush, full, wipe, mop, sponge, scour, swab, scrub, brush up, wash, lave, launder, buck, absterge, deterge, decrassify, clear, purify, depurate, despumate, defecate, purge, expurgate, elutriate, lixiviate, edulcorate, clarify, refine, rack, filter, filtrate, drain, strain, disinfect, fumigate, ventilate, deodorize, whitewash, castrate, emasculate, sift, winnow, pick, weed, comb, rake, brush, sweep, rout out, clear out, sweep out, make a clean sweep of.

Simpleness

VB render simple, simplify, sift, winnow, bolt, eliminate, exclude, get rid of, clear, purify, disentangle.

Exclusion

VB be excluded from, exclude, bar, leave out, shut out, bar out, reject, repudiate, blackball, lay apart, put apart, set apart, lay aside, put aside, relegate, segregate, throw overboard, strike off, strike out, neglect, banish, separate, pass over, omit, garble, eliminate, weed, winnow, be secluded, live secluded, keep aloof, stand, hold oneself aloof, keep in the background, stand in the background, keep snug, shut oneself up, deny oneself, seclude oneself creep into a corner, rusticate, aller planter ses choux, retire, retire from the world, take the veil, abandon, sport one's oak, cut, cut dead, refuse to associate with, refuse to acknowledge, look cool upon, turn one's back upon, shut the door upon, repel, blackball, excommunicate, exclude, exile, expatriate, banish, outlaw, maroon, ostracize, proscribe, cut off from, send to Coventry, keep at arm's length, draw a cordon round, depopulate, dispeople, unpeople.

Inquiry

VB make inquiry, inquire, ask, seek, search, look for, look about for, look out for, scan, reconnoiter, explore, sound, rummage, ransack, pry, peer, look round, look over, go over, look through, go through, spy, overhaul, ask about, inquire about, scratch the head, slap the forehead, look into every hole and corner, peer into every hole and corner, pry into every hole and corner, nose, trace up, search out, hunt down, hunt out, fish out, ferret out, unearth, leave no stone unturned, seek a clue, seek a clew, hunt, track, trail, mouse, dodge, trace, follow the trail, follow the scent, pursue, beat up one's quarters, fish for, feel for, investigate, take up an inquiry, institute an inquiry, pursue an inquiry, follow up an inquiry, conduct an inquiry, carry on an inquiry, carry out an inquiry, prosecute an inquiry, look at, look into, preexamine, discuss, canvass, agitate, examine, study, consider, calculate, dip into, dive into, delve into, go deep into, make sure of, probe, sound, fathom, probe to the bottom, probe to the quick, scrutinize, analyze, anatomize, dissect, parse, resolve, sift, winnow, view in all its phases, try in all its phases, thresh out, bring in question, bring into question, subject to examination, put to the proof, audit, tax, pass in review, take into consideration, take counsel, question, demand, put the question, pop the question, propose the question, propound the question, moot the question, start the question, raise the question, stir the question, suggest the question, put forth the question, ventilate the question, grapple with the question, go into a question, question, put to the question, interrogate, pump, subject to interrogation, subject to examination, cross-question, cross-examine, press for an answer, give the third degree, put to the inquisition, dodge, catechize, require an answer, pick the brains of, suck the brains of, feel the pulse, get the lay of the land, see how the wind is blowing, put one's ear to the ground, be in question, undergo examination.