winnowing
/ˈwɪnoʊɪŋ/
noun
- The process of separating the valuable part of something from the unwanted part, especially in farming by blowing away chaff from grain.
- Modern winnowing uses machines instead of the wind.
- Winnowing is an ancient technique still used in some parts of the world.
- The farmer spent the afternoon doing the winnowing of the barley harvest.
- The act of carefully examining and removing unwanted or less important elements from a group.
- The editor's winnowing of the manuscript cut the length by half.
- The winnowing of applicants left only the most qualified for the final interview.
- After a long winnowing of ideas, the team chose the best three to develop.
Synonyms
adjective
- Relating to or used for the process of separating valuable from unwanted parts.
- The winnowing machine was loud but very effective.
- The winnowing fan was powered by a hand crank.
- They used a winnowing basket to toss the grain into the air.