Glean — Defs

01 v. t. To gather after a reaper; to collect in scattered or fragmentary parcels, as the grain left by a reaper, or grapes left after the gathering.

imp. & p. p. Gleaned; p. pr. & vb. n. Gleaning

1.
To gather after a reaper; to collect in scattered or fragmentary parcels, as the grain left by a reaper, or grapes left after the gathering.
“To glean the broken ears after the man That the main harvest reaps.” — Shak.
2.
To gather from (a field or vineyard) what is left.
3.
To collect with patient and minute labor; to pick out; to obtain.
“Content to glean what we can from . . . experiments.” — Locke.

02 v. i. To gather stalks or ears of grain left by reapers.

1.
To gather stalks or ears of grain left by reapers.
“And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers.” — Ruth ii. 3.
2.
To pick up or gather anything by degrees.
“Piecemeal they this acre first, then that; Glean on, and gather up the whole estate.” — Pope.

03 n. A collection made by gleaning.

1.
A collection made by gleaning.
“The gleans of yellow thyme distend his thighs.” — Dryden.

04 n. Cleaning; afterbirth.