Win"now (w&ibreve;n"n&osl;), v. t.
[imp. & p. p. Winnowed (-n&osl;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. √131. 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 bad 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.
Win"now (?), v. i. To separate chaff
from grain.
Winnow not with every wind.
Ecclus.
v. 9.
Win"now (w&ibreve;n"n&osl;), v. t.
[imp. & p. p. Winnowed (-n&osl;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. √131. 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 bad 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.
Win"now (?), v. i. To separate chaff
from grain.
Winnow not with every wind.
Ecclus.
v. 9.
