winnowing

plural winnowings

1. The act of separating chaff from grain.

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

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

   1 more example

   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?

   1646, William Bridge, On Temptation (sermon)

   Synonyms: fanning

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of winnow