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Winnow vs Jettison - What's the difference?

winnow | jettison |

As verbs the difference between winnow and jettison

is that winnow is to subject (granular material, especially food grain) to a current of air separating heavier and lighter components, as grain from chaff while jettison is to eject from a boat, submarine, aircraft, spaceship or hot-air balloon, so as to lighten the load.

As nouns the difference between winnow and jettison

is that winnow is that which winnows or which is used in winnowing; a contrivance for fanning or winnowing grain while jettison is collectively, items that have been or are about to be ejected from a boat or balloon.

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

    * * *

    jettison

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (uncountable) Collectively, items that have been or are about to be ejected from a boat or balloon.
  • (countable) The action of jettisoning items.

    • Synonyms

    * (items jettisoned): jetsam

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To eject from a boat, submarine, aircraft, spaceship or hot-air balloon, so as to lighten the load.
    • The ballooners had to jettison all of their sand bags to make it over the final hill.
    The jettisoning of fuel tanks .
  • To let go or get rid of as being useless or defective; discard.

    • Synonyms

    * (to let go or get rid of as being useless) chuck, discard, ditch, dump, junk, lose, scrap, toss * See also