winnow

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Polyester

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Chinese
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Could you please tell me I'm using the word "winnow" properly below context?

"We invited 10 people to interview. After the test, we winnowed 6 people and 4 people were hired finally."
 
Could you please tell me if i'm using the word "winnow" properly?

"We invited 10 people to an interview. After the test, we winnowed 6 people and 4 people were hired finally."

Perhaps:

We invited ten people to be interviewed. After the test we hired four of them.
 
I would say that you winnowed six people out and hired four.
 
I would say that you winnowed six people out and hired four.




Hello,
You make a clear sentence for me. It's great short and the meaning great easy to understand.
 
"Winnow" is a very old word. It means to throw grain in a controlled way into the air. The heavier grain drops straight down and the chaff (waste material) is blown away by the wind. 'Separating the wheat from the chaff' is a common metaphor with the same meaning.

In the same way, the interview process eliminated undesirable job candidates.
 
You could have winnowed it down to four. The winnow down/out process is not an everyday term in BrE, but it seems to be less odd than it is to AmE speakers who have posted here.
 
"Winnow out/down" is reasonably common in American English.
 
"Winnow" is a very old word. It means to throw grain in a controlled way into the air. The heavier grain drops straight down and the chaff (waste material) is blown away by the wind. 'Separating the wheat from the chaff' is a common metaphor with the same meaning.

In the same way, the interview process eliminated undesirable job candidates.




Hello,
There are two meanings on the online dictionaries. I choose the second one to make a sentence. I'm trying to test myself how can I understand the vocabulary impressively. Can't easy to forget.
 
Hello,
You make a clear sentence for me. It's great short and the meaning great easy to understand.

Say:

You wrote a clear sentence for me -- short and easy to understand.

:up:
 
Hello.
There are two meanings [STRIKE]on[/STRIKE] in [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] online dictionaries. I [STRIKE]choose[/STRIKE] chose the second one to make a sentence. I'm trying to test [STRIKE]myself[/STRIKE] how well [STRIKE]can[/STRIKE] I understand the vocabulary. [STRIKE]impressively.[/STRIKE] Can't easy to forget.

Please note my corrections above in red.

I don't know what you mean by the sentence in blue and underlined. Please try to write it using different words.
 
Hello,
There are two meanings on the online dictionaries. I choose the second one to make a sentence. I'm trying to test myself how can I understand the vocabulary impressively. Can't easy to forget.

Say:

There are two definitions in the online dictionaries. I chose the second one to make a sentence with. I'm trying to test myself on how well I can use the words I learn. I'm trying to learn them well enough so that I don't forget them.

Why do you need to learn "winnow"?
 
Please note my corrections above in red.

I don't know what you mean by the sentence in blue and underlined. Please try to write it using different words.


You don't understand it because which reason is the true as follows:
1. not a English sentence?
2. not a grammatical sentence?
3. no meaning to this sentence?
4. all of above?

emsr2d2,
which ones? or all?
 
You don't understand it because which reason is the true as follows:
1. not a English sentence?
2. not a grammatical sentence?
3. no meaning to this sentence?
4. all of above?

emsr2d2,
which ones? or all?

I pick #4. "Can't easy to forget" is pretty much indecipherable.
 
Hello,
There are two meanings on the online dictionaries. I choose the second one to make a sentence. I'm trying to test myself how can I understand the vocabulary impressively. Can't easy to forget.

There is no need to learn the figurative use of the word "winnow", which is seldom used even by native speakers. I think the word is actually used more in the rice farms in Asia rather than the west.

Learning to write correct and clear English is more important.

Note: I think words like "screen, sieve or filter" are more common and mean the same thing.
 
Last edited:
Which of the following reasons explains why you don't understand it?
[STRIKE]because which reason is the true as follows:[/STRIKE]

1. It is not an English sentence.
2. It is not a grammatical sentence.
3. There is no meaning to this sentence.
4. All of the above.

emsr2d2, which ones apply or do all of them apply?

My answer is #4 because:

1. It's in English but it's not a complete sentence.
2. It's not a complete sentence and therefore it is not grammatical.
3. As you wrote it, it means nothing.

You definitely need to practise using complete sentences.
 
My answer is #4 because:

1. It's in English but it's not a complete sentence.
2. It's not a complete sentence and therefore it is not grammatical.
3. As you wrote it, it means nothing.



You definitely need to practise using complete sentences.


emsr2d2,
I'm trying to learn a new vocabulary and made a sentence and posted here for checking. Since I learn all of the new words from my everyday's email.
 
You could say:

It isn't easy to forget.

Or:

It's hard to forget.
 
You are correct if I have no context.

Are you saying it would make sense in the proper context? (I don't think so. Did you read Ems's post?)
 
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