1. \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, glanh?u to clean, purify, or
   AS. gelm, gilm, a hand?ul.]
   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.
   
   

2. \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.
   
   

3. \Glean\, n.
   A collection made by gleaning.
   
         The gleans of yellow thyme distend his thighs.
                                                  --Dryden.
   
   

4. \Glean\, n.
   Cleaning; afterbirth. [Obs.] --Holland.
   
   

The corners of fields were not to be reaped, and the sheaf accidentally left behind was not to be fetched away, according to the law of Moses (Lev. 19:9; 23:22; Deut. 24:21). They were to be left for the poor to glean. Similar laws were given regarding vineyards and oliveyards. (Comp. Ruth 2:2.)