Library / English Dictionary

WINNOW

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of separating grain from chaff

Example:

the winnowing was done by women

Synonyms:

sifting; winnow; winnowing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("winnow" is a kind of...):

separation (sorting one thing from others)

Derivation:

winnow (separate the chaff from grain by using air currents)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Blow away or off with a current of air

Example:

The speaker ceased to be an amusing little gnat to be fanned away and was kicked off the forum

Synonyms:

fan; winnow

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "winnow" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Select desirable parts from a group or list

Example:

winnow the finalists from the long list of applicants

Synonyms:

cull out; winnow

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "winnow" is one way to...):

choose; pick out; select; take (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Separate the chaff from grain by using air currents

Example:

She stood there winnowing grain all day in the field

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "winnow" is one way to...):

sieve; sift; strain (separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

winnow; winnowing (the act of separating grain from chaff)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Blow on

Example:

the wind winnowed the grass

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "winnow" is one way to...):

fan (agitate the air)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

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