winnow : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: winnow	by the DICT Development Group
3 results for winnow
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
winnow n the act of separating grain from chaff; "the winnowing was done by women" Synonym(s): winnow, winnowing, sifting v separate the chaff from by using air currents; "She stood there winnowing chaff all day in the field" Synonym(s): winnow, fan blow on; "The wind was winnowing her hair"; "the wind winnowed the grass" select desirable parts from a group or list; "cull out the interesting letters from the poet's correspondence"; "winnow the finalists from the long list of applicants" Synonym(s): cull out, winnow blow away or off with a current of air; "winnow chaff"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Winnow \Win"now\, v. i. To separate chaff from grain. Winnow not with every wind. --Ecclus. v. 9.
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
Winnow Corn was winnowed, (1.) By being thrown up by a shovel against the wind. As a rule this was done in the evening or during the night, when the west wind from the sea was blowing, which was a moderate breeze and fitted for the purpose. The north wind was too strong, and the east wind came in gusts. (2.) By the use of a fan or van, by which the chaff was blown away (Ruth 3:2; Isa. 30:24; Jer. 4:11, 12; Matt. 3:12).