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Separate vs Winnow - What's the difference?

separate | winnow |

As verbs the difference between separate and winnow

is that separate is to divide (a thing) into separate parts while winnow is to subject (granular material, especially food grain) to a current of air separating heavier and lighter components, as grain from chaff.

As nouns the difference between separate and winnow

is that separate is anything that is sold by itself, especially an article of clothing while winnow is that which winnows or which is used in winnowing; a contrivance for fanning or winnowing grain.

As an adjective separate

is apart from (the rest); not connected to or attached to (anything else).

separate

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Apart from (the rest); not connected to or attached to (anything else).
    • This chair can be disassembled into five separate pieces.
  • Not together (with); not united (to).
    • I try to keep my personal life separate from work.

    Verb

    (separat)
  • To divide (a thing) into separate parts.
  • To disunite something from one thing; To disconnect.
  • * Dryden
    • From the fine gold I separate the alloy.
  • * Bible, Romans viii. 35
    • Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
  • To cause (things or people) to be separate.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author=David Simpson
    • , volume=188, issue=26, page=36, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Fantasy of navigation , passage=It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: […];  […]; or perhaps to muse on the irrelevance of the borders that separate nation states and keep people from understanding their shared environment.}}
  • To divide itself into separate pieces or substances.
  • (obsolete) To set apart; to select from among others, as for a special use or service.
  • * Bible, Acts xiii. 2
    • Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

    Derived terms

    * separable * separately * separation * separational * separationism * separationist

    Antonyms

    * annex * combine

    See also

    * disunite * disconnect * divide * split * reduce * subtract

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (usually, in the plural) Anything that is sold by itself, especially an article of clothing.

    • Usage notes

    * The spelling is (separate). *(term) is a common misspelling.

    Anagrams

    * English ergative verbs English heteronyms ----

    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

    * * *