Definition of "winnower" [win•now•er]

• A person who winnows (noun)
• A form of fan used for winnowing (noun)

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• "A tool called a winnower then cracks and discards the husks, and the beans are ground into small bits called nibs."
• "With so little time to reach voters over such a wide area, television advertising is more essential in the next phase of the race -- and comes at a high cost that may be the ultimate winnower of the presidential field."
• "But if the stalk be tall, you would do right, I hold, to cut it half-way down, whereby the thresher and the winnower will be saved some extra labour (which both may well be spared) .362 The stalk left standing in the field, when burnt down (as burnt it will be, I presume), will help to benefit the soil; 363 and laid on as manure, will serve to swell the volume of manure. 364"