sift
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to put a dry substance, like flour, through a mesh to make it smooth or remove large pieces.
v.to pass a dry substance through a sieve or mesh to separate smaller particles from larger ones or to aerate the material.
Simple“You should sift the flour into the bowl to make the cake light and fluffy.”
In context“The recipe specifies that the cocoa powder must be sifted twice to ensure no bitter lumps remain in the delicate sponge mixture.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'into' or 'onto'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to look through a large amount of information or objects to find the most important parts.
v.to examine a mass of information, evidence, or physical items thoroughly to isolate what is relevant or valuable.
Simple“The police had to sift through hundreds of tips from the public.”
In context“Archaeologists spent months sifting through the sediment, hoping to find small fragments of pottery that would date the site.”
UsageCommonly used as a phrasal verb 'sift through'.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.the act of checking or sorting through something.
n.the process or instance of sifting, whether physical or metaphorical.
Simple“A quick sift of the documents revealed several errors in the report.”
In context“After a preliminary sift of the applications, the committee selected five candidates for the final interview stage.”
“An extravert might gather opinions from colleagues and friends first before sifting through the information to work out what they think.”
“Sifting through our life’s possessions is not an easy process, but it is the last hours in the house that are most painful.”
From Middle English syften, from Old English siftan, from Proto-West Germanic *siftijan.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.