Glean (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gleaned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Gleaning.] [OE. glenen, OF. glener, glaner, F. glaner, fr. LL. glenare; cf. W. glan clean, glanhu to clean, purify, or AS. gelm, gilm, a handul.]
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.
© Webster 1913.
Glean, v. i.
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.
© Webster 1913.
Glean, n.
A collection made by gleaning.
The gleans of yellow thyme distend his thighs.
Dryden.
© Webster 1913.
Glean, n.
Cleaning; afterbirth.
[Obs.]
Holland.
© Webster 1913.