filter
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a device that removes dirt or unwanted pieces from a liquid or gas.
n.a porous device or substance used to separate suspended particulate matter from a fluid.
Simple“You need to change the water filter every six months to keep the water clean.”
In context“The industrial ventilation system utilizes a high-efficiency particulate air filter to ensure the laboratory remains free of contaminants.”
Usageoften used with 'water', 'air', or 'coffee' as a modifier.
Synonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
n.a software tool that changes how a photo or video looks, often used on social media.
n.a digital image processing effect that alters the appearance of a photograph or video stream.
Simple“She used a vintage filter to make her new photos look like they were from the 1970s.”
In context“Social media platforms offer a variety of augmented reality filters that can modify facial features in real-time during video calls.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the ability to think before you speak so you do not say something rude or inappropriate.
n.the psychological or social capacity for self-censorship and restraint in verbal communication.
Simple“Sometimes he says exactly what he thinks because he has no filter.”
In context“In casual settings, her lack of a social filter is charming, but it can be problematic during formal business negotiations.”
Usageusually used with 'no' or 'a' in phrases like 'he has no filter'.
- 04 B1 Intermediate
v.to pass a liquid or gas through a device to clean it.
v.to pass a substance through a medium to remove impurities or specific components.
Simple“The sunlight was filtered by the thick leaves of the trees.”
In context“The kidneys work constantly to filter waste products from the blood and maintain chemical balance.”
Antonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to move or spread slowly, often a few people or things at a time.
v.to move, seep, or communicate gradually or in small quantities.
Simple“News about the company's closing began to filter out to the employees.”
In context“After the concert ended, the audience began to filter out of the stadium and into the nearby subway stations.”
Usageoften used with prepositions like 'through', 'in', or 'out'.
- 06 C1 Advanced
v.to ride a motorcycle or bicycle between lanes of slow-moving cars.
v.to navigate a two-wheeled vehicle between lanes of stationary or slow-moving traffic.
Simple“The motorcyclist filtered through the heavy traffic to reach the front of the queue.”
In context“While filtering is legal in many jurisdictions, riders must exercise extreme caution when passing between large commercial vehicles.”
Synonymslane splitting
“The government is advising people , external to either use indirect viewing methods or wear genuine eclipse glasses with specially designed filters that meet international safety standards ISO 12312-2:2015(E).”
“The models it tested were granted access to the internet, and the AISI also disabled in-built filters that would usually block dangerous cyber-attacks.”
From Middle English filtre, from Medieval Latin filtrum (compare also Old French feutre (“felt; filter”)), from Frankish filtir, from Proto-West Germanic felt. See felt. Doublet of phin.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.