sift

[sɪft]

sift Definition

• 1. to put flour, sugar, etc. through a sieve or similar object in order to remove large pieces or lumps
• 2. to examine something thoroughly in order to separate out what is valuable or useful from what is not

Using sift: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "sift" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl.

• Example

  She sifted through the evidence looking for clues.

• Example

  The police are sifting through the evidence to find the killer.

• Example

  He sifted the sand through his fingers.

sift Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for sift

• filter
• strain
• sieve
• screen
• sort

Antonyms for sift

• combine
• mix
• blend

Idioms Using sift

• sift the wheat from the chaff

  to separate what is valuable or useful from what is worthless or unimportant

  Example

  It's difficult to sift the wheat from the chaff when you're dealing with so much information.

• sift through the ashes

  to search for something valuable or useful in the remains of a disaster or tragedy

  Example

  After the fire, they sifted through the ashes looking for any personal belongings that might have survived.

• sift one's way

  to make one's way through something with difficulty, as if searching for something valuable or useful

  Example

  She sifted her way through the crowd to get to the front of the stage.

Phrases with sift

• sift out

  to separate something from a mixture by passing it through a sieve or similar object

  Example

  Sift out any lumps of sugar before adding it to the mixture.

• sift through

  to examine something carefully in order to find something or to decide what is important

  Example

  I spent hours sifting through old photographs.

• sift something from something

  to remove something from a mixture by passing it through a sieve or similar object

  Example

  Sift the stones from the soil before planting the seeds.

Origins of sift

from Old English 'siftan', meaning 'to sieve'

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Summary: sift in Brief

'Sift' [sɪft] means to separate or examine something thoroughly. It can refer to removing lumps from flour or examining evidence for clues. 'Sift' can be used in phrases like 'sift out,' meaning to separate something from a mixture, and 'sift through,' meaning to examine something carefully. Idioms like 'sift the wheat from the chaff' denote separating what is valuable from what is not.