Category:Winnow

Win"now, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Winnowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Winnowing.] Etym: [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. . See wind moving Air, and cf. Fan., n., Ventilate.]

1. To separate, and drive off, the chaff from by means of wind; to Fan; as, to winnow grain. Ho winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing floor. Ruth. iii. 2.

2. To sift, as for the purpose of separating falsehood from truth; to Separate, as had from good. Winnow well this thought, and you shall find this light as chaff that Flies before the wind. Dryden.

3. To beat with wings, or as with wings.[Poetic] Now on the polar winds; then with quick fan winnows the buxom air. Milton.

Winnow Win"now, v. i.

Defn: to separate chaff from grain. Winnow not with every wind. Ecclus. v. 9.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

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; Isaiah 30:24; Jeremiah 4:11, Jeremiah 4:12; Matthew 3:12).