cull out
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To select or pick out desirable, useful, or superior items from a larger group or list. The action involves careful discrimination to separate the best from the rest.
Usage
- The verb "cull out" is a transitive verb, requiring a direct object (the thing being selected from).
- It is often used in contexts involving evaluation, such as editing, recruiting, or curating, where quality is more important than quantity.
- The preposition "from" typically follows to indicate the source group.
Examples
- The editor will cull out the strongest essays from the hundreds of submissions for the anthology.
- Our first task is to cull out any defective products from the production line before shipping.
- She managed to cull out the most relevant data from the extensive research report.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can imply a process of refinement or purification, removing the inferior to leave only the best.
- The director spent weeks culling out the best performances from hours of footage to create the final film.
Variants and Related Words
- Cull (verb): Often used synonymously with "cull out," meaning to select from a group, or to remove inferior or surplus members from a herd, flock, or other group.
- The farmer will cull the sick animals from the herd.
Synonyms
- Select
- Choose
- Pick out
- Winnow (out)
- Screen
- Extract
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Pick out: To choose or select from a group (often used interchangeably in this context).
- Can you pick out the red ones from this basket?
- Single out: To choose one person or thing from a group for special attention.
- The teacher singled out his project for praise.
- Weed out: To remove unwanted or inferior items or people from a group.
- The difficult training course is designed to weed out weaker candidates.
Verb
- select desirable parts from a group or list
- cull out the interesting letters from the poet's correspondence
- winnow the finalists from the long list of applicants