intransitive verb. To put (flour, for example) through a sieve in order to separate the fine from the coarse particles.

intransitive verb. To distinguish as if separating with a sieve.

intransitive verb. To apply by scattering through a sieve.

intransitive verb. To examine and sort carefully.

intransitive verb. To make use of a sieve.

intransitive verb. To pass through a sieve.

intransitive verb. To make a careful examination.

To cause the finer parts of to pass through a sieve; part or separate the larger and smaller elements of, by shaking in a sieve; bolt: as, to sift meal, powder, sand, or lime; to sift the flour from the bran.

To pass or shake through or from anything in the manner of a sieve; pour out or stir up loosely, like particles falling from a sieve: as, to sift sand through the fingers; to sift sugar upon a cake.

To act upon or about as if by means of a sieve; examine with close scrutiny; subject to minute analysis: used with a great variety of applications: sometimes with out: as, to sift the good from the bad; to sift out the truth of the matter; to sift a proposition.

Synonyms Sift, Bolt, Strain, Screen. Sift is used especially of action by means of a sieve, or of anything serving as a sieve, as an independent instrument; bolt, of the separation of meal and bran, or of the different grades of meal or flour, or the like, by the mechanism of a mill. Strain and screen are used of analogous action upon liquids and coarser solids.

To pass or fall loosely or scatteringly, as if through the meshes of a sieve: as, the dust or the snow sifted through the crevices; the light sifts from the clouds.

To practise detailed scrutiny or investigation; make close examination.

noun. Something that falls or passes as if from the meshes of a sieve; sifting or sifted material.

transitive verb. To separate with a sieve, as the fine part of a substance from the coarse

transitive verb. To separate or part as if with a sieve.

transitive verb. To examine critically or minutely; to scrutinize.

transitive verb. to search out with care, as if by sifting.

verb. To sieve or strain (something).

verb. To separate or scatter (things) as if by sieving.

verb. To examine (something) carefully.

verb. distinguish and separate out

verb. separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements

verb. move as if through a sieve

verb. check and sort carefully

"As the syllables of Apatow's name sift through her mellifluous vocal chords, my pinball brain starts to tilt: You, Catherine Deneuve, are a Judd Apatow fan?"

discover  discuss  examine  

sifter  

analyse  analyze  canvas  canvass  choose  

Clift  Shift  Swift  adrift  clift  

powdery  

air  analyze  appraise  assess  assort  

sifted  sifting  sifts