Meaning of the word winnow in English
What does winnow mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.
winnow
US /ˈwɪn.oʊ/
UK /ˈwɪn.əʊ/
Verb
1.
to blow a current of air through (grain) in order to remove the chaff
Example:
•
Farmers traditionally winnow grain to separate the edible part from the husks.
•
The machine was designed to efficiently winnow large quantities of rice.
2.
to reduce a large number of people or things to a much smaller number by carefully selecting the best or most appropriate
Example:
•
The committee will winnow the applications down to a shortlist of five candidates.
•
It's important to winnow out the irrelevant details from the report.