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Minnow vs Winnow - What's the difference?

minnow | winnow |

As nouns the difference between minnow and winnow

is that minnow is a small freshwater fish of the carp family while winnow is that which winnows or which is used in winnowing; a contrivance for fanning or winnowing grain.

As verbs the difference between minnow and winnow

is that minnow is to fish minnows while winnow is to subject (granular material, especially food grain) to a current of air separating heavier and lighter components, as grain from chaff.

minnow

English

(wikipedia minnow)

Alternative forms

* (l), (l) * (l), (l), (l) (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A small freshwater fish of the carp family.
  • More generally, any small fish.
  • (football) A low-level team, in comparison to their opponents.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=January 29 , author=Chris Bevan , title=Torquay 0 - 1 Crawley Town , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Having spent more than £500,000 on players last summer, Crawley can hardly be classed as minnows but they have still punched way above their weight and this kind of performance means no-one will relish pulling them out of the hat in Sunday's draw.}}

    See also

    * pinkeen

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (fishing) to fish minnows
  • (fishing) to fish (especially trout) using a minnow as bait

    • Derived terms

    * minnower

    winnow

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (agriculture) To subject (granular material, especially food grain) to a current of air separating heavier and lighter components, as grain from chaff.
  • *
  • (figuratively) To separate, sift, analyze, or test in this manner.
    • They winnowed the field to twelve.
    They winnowed the winners from the losers.
    They winnowed the losers from the winners.
  • (literary) To blow upon or toss about by blowing; to set in motion as with a fan or wings.
  • * 1872 Elliott Coues, Key to North American Birds
    • 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.
  • (intransitive, literary, dated) To move about with a flapping motion, as of wings; to flutter.

    • Usage notes

    * Used with adverb or preposition "down"; see also winnow down. * Used with adverbs or prepositions "through", "away", and "out".

    Derived terms

    * winnow down * winnower * winnowing basket * winnowing fan * winnowing machine * winnow sheet * winnow grain from chaff * winnow the wheat from the chaff

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • That which winnows or which is used in winnowing; a contrivance for fanning or winnowing grain.

    • References

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