Winnow (verb)

1. To separate the chaff from grain by using wind or air currents.
2. To remove unwanted or unnecessary elements from a group or collection.
3. To sift through and select what is important.

Origin:

From the old english word "winian" meaning to separate chaff from grain.

Examples:

1. The farmers used to winnow the wheat by tossing it in the air.
2. He winnowed through the pile of resumes to find the most qualified candidates.
3. The company winnowed down the list of potential partners.
4. She winnowed her closet, getting rid of clothes she no longer wore.
5. He winnowed his collection of books, keeping only the ones he loved.