winnow

[ˈwɪnəʊ]

winnow Definition

• 1. blow a current of air through (grain) in order to remove the chaff
• 2. find or identify (valuable or useful part of something)

Using winnow: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "winnow" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  The farmer used a fan to winnow the wheat.

• Example

  The detective had to winnow through the evidence to find the culprit.

• Example

  She managed to winnow out the important details from the irrelevant ones.

• Example

  The company will winnow down the candidates to the top three.

winnow Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for winnow

• sift
• filter
• sort
• separate
• screen

Antonyms for winnow

• combine
• mix
• blend

Phrases with winnow

• winnow down

  reduce the number of options or choices

  Example

  We need to winnow down the list of potential candidates for the job.

• winnow out

  separate or remove what is unwanted or unnecessary

  Example

  It took her a while to winnow out the truth from all the lies.

• winnowing basket

  a basket used for winnowing grain

  Example

  She used a winnowing basket to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Origins of winnow

from Old English 'windwian', meaning 'to fan, winnow'

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Summary: winnow in Brief

'Winnow' [ˈwɪnəʊ] refers to the process of separating valuable or useful parts from unwanted or unnecessary ones. It can be applied to physical objects like grain or abstract concepts like evidence. Examples include 'The farmer used a fan to winnow the wheat.' and 'The company will winnow down the candidates to the top three.' 'Winnow' can also be used in phrases like 'winnow down,' meaning to reduce the number of options, and 'winnow out,' meaning to separate or remove what is unwanted.