winnow
    n 1: the act of separating grain from chaff; "the winnowing was
         done by women" [syn: winnow, winnowing, sifting]
    v 1: separate the chaff from by using air currents; "She stood
         there winnowing chaff all day in the field" [syn: winnow,
         fan]
    2: blow on; "The wind was winnowing her hair"; "the wind
       winnowed the grass"
    3: 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" [syn: cull
       out, winnow]
    4: blow away or off with a current of air; "winnow chaff"

Winnow \Win"now\ (w[i^]n"n[-o]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Winnowed
   (w[i^]n"n[-o]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Winnowing.] [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. [root]131.
   See Wind moving air, and cf. Fan., n., Ventilate.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To separate, and drive off, the chaff from by means of
      wind; to fan; as, to winnow grain.
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            Ho winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing floor.
                                                  --Ruth. iii.
                                                  2.
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   2. To sift, as for the purpose of separating falsehood from
      truth; to separate, as bad from good.
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            Winnow well this thought, and you shall find
            This light as chaff that flies before the wind.
                                                  --Dryden.
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   3. To beat with wings, or as with wings.[Poetic]
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            Now on the polar winds; then with quick fan
            Winnows the buxom air.                --Milton.
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Winnow \Win"now\, v. i.
   To separate chaff from grain.
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         Winnow not with every wind.              --Ecclus. v.
                                                  9.
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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).