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The Grainy History of Glean
While it is certainly true that one must reap what one sows (that is, harvest the crops that one plants), what should be done about the grain and other produce left over that the reapers missed? Well, friends, that must be gleaned—waste not, want not, after all. It’s a finicky business, too, picking through stalks and under leaves and whatnot. When it was first used in English in the 14th century, glean carried both the sense of “to gather grain or other produce left by reapers” and the more figurative meaning of “to gather information or material bit by bit,” reflecting the slow, gradual, painstaking work of scouring the fields. Over the years, and especially in the 20th and 21st centuries, glean has also come to be used frequently with the meaning “to find out, learn, ascertain.” This sense has been criticized by folks who think glean should always imply the drudgery involved in the literal grain-gathering sense, but it is well established and perfectly valid.
Examples of glean in a Sentence
Meirav Devash, Allure, 31 Mar. 2025
Information gleaned from the tomb also confirms the existence of other early Egyptian kings in the surrounding enclosure.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2025
In this episode, Meghan’s neighbor, Vicky Tsai, an entrepreneur in the beauty space, shares beauty and skincare tips with Meghan (and viewers), and there are many takeaways for teenage girls to glean from Meghan and Vicky’s interactions with one another.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 26 Mar. 2025
As an attractive trade prospect, Cease no doubt enabled Preller to glean hard-to-get intel from potential trade partners before Preller decided to retain him.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glean
Cite this Entry
“Glean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glean. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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glean
verb
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