glean








verb (used with object)

  1. to gather slowly and laboriously, bit by bit.
  2. to gather (grain or the like) after the reapers or regular gatherers.
  3. to learn, discover, or find out, usually little by little or slowly.

verb (used without object)

  1. to collect or gather anything little by little or slowly.
  2. to gather what is left by reapers.

verb

  1. to gather (something) slowly and carefully in small piecesto glean information from the newspapers
  2. to gather (the useful remnants of a crop) from the field after harvesting
v.

early 14c., from Old French glener (Modern French glaner) “to glean,” from Late Latin glennare “make a collection,” perhaps from Gaulish (cf. Old Irish do-glinn “he collects, gathers,” Celt. glan “clean, pure”). Figurative sense was earlier in English than the literal one of “gather grain left by the reapers” (late 14c.). Related: Gleaned; gleaning.

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