| 释义 |
win·now
I. \ˈwi(ˌ)nō, -_nə, often -_əw+V\ verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English winewen, windewen, from Old English windwian to fan, winnow; akin to Old High German wintōn to fan, winnow, Gothic diswinthjan, Latin ventilare to fan, winnow, vannus winnowing fan, ventus wind — more at wind
transitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to separate and drive off (as chaff) by subjection to wind or a current of air
(2) : to get rid of (as that which is undesirable or unwanted) : take out : delete, remove — often used with out
< winnow out certain inaccuracies — Stanley Walker >
b. : to analyze and assort to obtain the most desirable : select, separate, sift
< winnowed out facts and probabilities from prejudices — William Vogt >
< an old hand at winnowing what is true and significant — Oscar Lewis >
2.
a. : to treat (as grain) by exposure to wind or a current of air so that waste matter is eliminated
< when the grain was flailed they winnowed it — Pearl Buck >
b. : to treat in a manner resembling this : free of useless, unwanted, or baser components
< winnow the immense number of applications — W.H.Hale >
< the lack of discipline and the failure to winnow her material — Dachine Rainer >
3. : to beat with or as if with wings : make a way through by flying
< geese winnowing the purple dusk >
4. : to blow on : fan
< the wind winnowing his thin white hair — Time >
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to separate chaff from grain by fanning
b. : to separate the desirable from the undesirable by careful perusing
< appointed an editor to winnow through the day's diplomatic dispatches and produce a daily news file — W.M.Healy >
2. : to move or pass on a course with or as if with wings
< the petrel … came winnowing in from afar on the sea — D.L.Sharp >
3. : to blow in gusts
II. noun
(-s)
1. : a device for winnowing
2. : the act of winnowing : a motion resembling that of winnowing |