From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Winnowing \Win"now*ing\, n.
The act of one who, or that which, winnows.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
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.
[1913 Webster]
Ho winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing floor.
--Ruth. iii.
2.
[1913 Webster]
2. 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.
--Dryden.
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3. To beat with wings, or as with wings.[Poetic]
[1913 Webster]
Now on the polar winds; then with quick fan
Winnows the buxom air. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
winnowing
n 1: the act of separating grain from chaff; "the winnowing was
done by women" [syn: {winnow}, {winnowing}, {sifting}]
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