winnowing

winnowing

1. present participle and gerund of winnow

winnowing (plural winnowings)

1. The act of separating chaff from grain.
   • 1646, William Bridge, On Temptation (sermon)

     If God doth suffer his own people and dearest children to be exposed to Satan's temptings and winnowings; Why should any man then doubt of his childship, doubt of his own everlasting condition, and say, that he is none of the child of God because he is tempted?

   • 2007 October 20, Thomas C. Cooper, “How Green Is My Garden?”, in New York Times‎:

     At first I tried to handle the seasonal winnowings with a large three-bin compost device.