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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.

One who, or that which, winnows; specifically, a winnowing machine.

The act of one who, or that which, winnows.

The glumes or husks of grains and grasses separated from the seed by threshing and winnowing, etc. So take the corn and leave the chaff behind. Dryden. Old birds are not caught with caff. Old Proverb.

To winnow out; to fan. [Obs.] Cockeram.

An instrument for winnowing grain, by moving which the grain is tossed and agitated, and the chaff is separated and blown away.

ind of green tea. Hyson skin, the light and inferior leaves separated from the hyson by a winnowing machine. M'Culloch.

The lighter parts of grain separated from the seed threshing and winnowing; chaff.

sh wheat, rye, or oats; to thrash over the old straw. The wheat was reaped, thrashed, and winnowed by machines. H. Spencer.

To divide or separate, as one sort from another; to winnow; to sift; to pick out; -- frequently followed by out; as, to try out the wild corn from the good. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.

A fan or other contrivance, as a sieve, for winnowing grain.

To winnow; to fan; as, to ventilate wheat.

The act of fanning, or winnowing, for the purpose of separating chaff and dust from the grain.

been originally a cylindrical cage made of willow rods, though some derive the term from winnow, as denoting the winnowing, or cleansing, action of the machine. Called also willy, twilly, twilly devil, and devil. Almond willow, Pussy willow, Weeping willow. (Bot.) See under Almond, Pussy, and Weeping. -- Willow biter…

To expose to the wind; to winnow; to ventilate.

g does, or which is put in winglike motion by the action of the air, as a fan or vane for winnowing grain, the vane or sail of a windmill, etc.