winnow — to separate grain from chaff by blowing air through it
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to separate grain from chaff by blowing air through it
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈwɪnoʊ/
Example Sentences
- My mom winnows through my closet like a detective, separating trendy clothes from fashion disasters.
- The hiring manager will winnow the 200 applications down to just 10 interviews.
- Dating apps help you winnow through potential matches faster than a tornado through a trailer park.
winnow
VERB[/ˈwɪnoʊ/]
to separate grain from chaff by blowing air through it
The farmer tosses grain into the wind to winnow the chaff away.
Winnow grain by the window, watch the minnow flow!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English 'windwian', derived from 'wind' (air in motion). The word is related to Germanic roots meaning 'wind' and developed from the literal action of using wind to separate grain.
Breakdown
win- (wind/air) + -now (to blow/fan) = winnow (to separate grain using wind)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My mom winnows through my closet like a detective, separating trendy clothes from fashion disasters.”
“The hiring manager will winnow the 200 applications down to just 10 interviews.”
“Dating apps help you winnow through potential matches faster than a tornado through a trailer park.”
“The editor will winnow out unnecessary paragraphs from the manuscript.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.