01 v. t. To separate with a sieve, as the fine part of a substance from the coarse; as, to sift meal or flour; to sift powder; to sift sand or lime.
imp. & p. p.
Sifted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Sifting
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1.
To separate with a sieve, as the fine part of a substance from the coarse; as, to sift meal or flour; to sift powder; to sift sand or lime.
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2.
To separate or part as if with a sieve.“When yellow sands are sifted from below, The glittering billows give a golden show.” — Dryden.
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3.
To examine critically or minutely; to scrutinize.“Sifting the very utmost sentence and syllable.” — Hooker.“Opportunity I here have had To try thee, sift thee.” — Milton.“Let him but narrowly sift his ideas.” — I. Taylor.
Phrases & compounds
To sift out —
to search out with care, as if by sifting.