winnow

To subject (granular material, especially food grain) to a current of air separating heavier and lighter components, as grain from chaff.transitive

• By Jacob Behel, of Mifflintown, Pa.,—Improvement in winnowing Machines, Patented August 21, 1847.
• [W]ind began to winnow the river delta's dried sediments.

To separate, sift, analyse, or test by separating items having different values.figurativelytransitive

• They winnowed the field to twelve.
• They winnowed the winners from the losers.

To blow upon or toss about by blowing; to set in motion as with a fan or wings.literarytransitive

• The light snow lay on the narrow and winding path before them, pure as if just fresh winnowed by the wind.
• Gulls average much larger than terns, with stouter build; the feet are larger and more ambulatorial, the wings are shorter and not so thin; the birds winnow the air in a steady course unlike the buoyant dashing flight of their relatives.

To move about with a flapping motion, as of wings; to flutter.datedintransitiveliterary

That which winnows or which is used in winnowing; a contrivance for fanning or winnowing grain.

The act of winnowing