winnower
Grain cleaning worker
A winnower is a person or device that separates grain from chaff—the lighter husks blown away while heavier seeds fall through.
The term extends figuratively to anyone who sifts through material to separate valuable from worthless: The editor was a ruthless winnower of submissions.
Gathering mature crops
- grainCereal plant's harvest unit
- cropCultivated agricultural plants
- farmingCultivating land for food
- cultivationFostering growth through care
farmer · field · wheat · barley · oats · rye · millet · sorghum
Something that divides
- fanAdmirer or air mover
- blowerWind-producing device
- millGrain-crushing facility
- cleanerAgent that removes dirt
equipment · mechanical · conveyor · hopper · aspirator · rotary · motorized · pneumatic
Swing limbs erratically
- sheavesBound clusters of stalks
- threshing-floorPlatform for grain separation
- scytheManual crop-cutting implement
- sickleCurved hand-held harvesting blade
shock · gleaning · beating · treading · harvest · barn · traditional · ancient
Separating by particle size
- sortingArranging into sequence
- screeningEvaluative selection process
- filteringSelective passage of elements
- gradingAssigning marks to work
culling · selecting · refining · extraction · removing · dividing · distinguishing · isolating
Keen perception and judgment
- selectionChosen item or items
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
- evaluationDetermining worth or quality
choosing · culling · filtering · separating · distinguishing · editorial · critical · selective
harvest
Gathering mature crops
cultivation · farmer · field · wheat · barley · oats · rye · millet · sorghum · rice
husk
Dry seed covering
residue · husks · waste · remnants · shells · detritus · discards · impurities · dust · lightweight
separator
Something that divides
cleaner · equipment · mechanical · conveyor · hopper · aspirator · rotary · motorized · pneumatic · vibrating
flail
Swing limbs erratically
- sheavesBound clusters of stalks
- threshing-floorPlatform for grain separation
- scytheManual crop-cutting implement
sickle · shock · gleaning · beating · treading · harvest · barn · traditional · ancient
sifting
Separating by particle size
- sortingArranging into sequence
- screeningEvaluative selection process
- filteringSelective passage of elements
grading · culling · selecting · refining · extraction · removing · dividing · distinguishing · isolating · classifying
discernment
Keen perception and judgment
- selectionChosen item or items
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
evaluation · choosing · culling · filtering · separating · distinguishing · editorial · critical · selective · vetting
- farm equipmenttractor, tractors, plow, plows, plough
- farmworkersfarmhand, farmworker, farm laborer, field hand, farm hand
- confectionery suppliescandy thermometer, candy molds, chocolate molds, candy cups, lollipop sticks
- mill workersmiller, mill hand, bolter, grinder, sifter
- separatorsseparator, cyclone, decanter, thickener, vacuum filter
- threshing toolsthresher, flail, threshing machine, combine harvester, combine