cull

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

cull, v. t. [OE.cullen, OF. cuillir, coillir, F.cueillir, to gather, pluck, pick, fr. L. colligere. See Coil, v. t., and cf. Collect.].

 To separate, select, or pick out; to choose and gather or collect; as, to cull flowers.  [1913 Webster]
"From his herd he culls,
For slaughter, from the fairest of his bulls."  [1913 Webster]
"Whitest honey in fairy gardens culled."  [1913 Webster]

cull, n. 

 A cully; a dupe; a gull. See Cully.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

cull, v. & n.
--v.tr.
1 select, choose, or gather from a large quantity or amount (knowledge culled from books).
2 pick or gather (flowers, fruit, etc.).
3 select (animals) according to quality, esp. poor surplus specimens for killing.
--n.
1 an act of culling.
2 an animal or animals culled.

Derivative

culler

Etymology

ME f. OF coillier etc. ult. f. L colligere COLLECT(1)

THESAURUS

cull

abscind, accumulate, amass, amputate, annihilate, assemble, ban, bar, bob, bolt, bring together, choose out, clip, collect, cordon, cordon off, crop, cull out, cut, cut away, cut off, cut out, decide between, dig up, discriminate, divide, dock, elect, eliminate, enucleate, eradicate, except, excerpt, excise, exclude, extinguish, extirpate, extract, garner, gather, gather in, get in, get together, ghettoize, gin, glean, grub, grub up, handpick, insulate, isolate, keep apart, keep aside, knock off, lay aside, lop, make a selection, mark, mutilate, nip, opt for, pare, peel, pick, pick out, pick up, pluck, prefer, prune, put aside, quarantine, rake up, riddle, root out, round up, rule out, scare up, scrape together, scrape up, screen, seclude, segregate, select, separate, set apart, set aside, shave, shear, sieve, sift, single out, sort out, stamp out, strike off, strip, strip off, take, take off, take out, take up, thrash, thresh, truncate, winnow, wipe out

ROGET THESAURUS

cull

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.

Fewness

VB be few, render few, reduce, diminish the number, weed, eliminate, cull, thin, decimate.

Taking

VB take, catch, hook, nab, bag, sack, pocket, put into one's pocket, receive, accept, reap, crop, cull, pluck, gather, draw, appropriate, expropriate, impropriate, assume, possess oneself of, take possession of, commandeer, lay one's hands on, clap one's hands on, help oneself to, make free with, dip one's hands into, lay under contribution, intercept, scramble for, deprive of, take away, carry away, bear away, take off, carry off, bear off, adeem, abstract, hurry off with, run away with, abduct, steal, ravish, seize, pounce upon, spring upon, swoop to, swoop down upon, take by storm, take by assault, snatch, reave, snap up, nip up, whip up, catch up, kidnap, crimp, capture, lay violent hands on, get hold of, lay hold of, take hold of, catch hold of, lay fast hold of, take firm hold of, lay by the heels, take prisoner, fasten upon, grip, grapple, embrace, gripe, clasp, grab, clutch, collar, throttle, take by the throat, claw, clinch, clench, make sure of, catch at, jump at, make a grab at, snap at, snatch at, reach, make a long arm, stretch forth one's hand, take from, take away from, disseize, deduct, retrench, dispossess, ease one of, snatch from one's grasp, tear from, tear away from, wrench from, wrest from, wring from, extort, deprive of, bereave, disinherit, cut off with a shilling, oust, divest, levy, distrain, confiscate, sequester, sequestrate, accroach, usurp, despoil, strip, fleece, shear, displume, impoverish, eat out of house and home, drain, drain to the dregs, gut, dry, exhaust, swallow up, absorb, draw off, suck the blood of, suck like a leech, retake, resume, recover.

Dupe

N dupe, gull, gudgeon, gobemouche, cull, cully, victim, pigeon, April fool, jay, sucker, laughingstock, Cyclops, simple Simon, flat, greenhorn, fool, puppet, cat's paw, credulous, mistaken.