n.
Pronunciation: ' wi-( ˌ )n ō
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English winewen, from Old English windwian to fan, winnow; akin to Old High German wint ō n to fan, Latin vannus winnowing fan, ventus wind ― more at WIND
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb
1 a (1) : to remove (as chaff) by a current of air (2) : to get rid of (something undesirable or unwanted) : REMOVE ― often used with out < winnow out certain inaccuracies ― Stanley Walker> b (1) : SEPARATE , SIFT <an old hand at winnow ing what is true and significant ― Oscar Lewis> (2) : SELECT
2 a : to treat (as grain) by exposure to a current of air so that waste matter is eliminated b : to free of unwanted or inferior elements : PARE c : NARROW , REDUCE < winnow ed the field to four contenders>
3 : to blow on : FAN <the wind winnow ing his thin white hair ― Time >
intransitive verb
1 : to separate chaff from grain by fanning
2 : to separate desirable and undesirable elements
– win · now · er \ ' wi-n ə -w ə r \ noun