sieve

[ siv ]

noun

1. an instrument with a meshed or perforated bottom, used for separating coarse from fine parts of loose matter, for straining liquids, etc., especially one with a circular frame and fine meshes or perforations.
2. a person who cannot keep a secret.

verb (used with or without object)

, sieved, siev·ing.

1. to put or force through a sieve; sift.

sieve

/ sɪv /

noun

1. a device for separating lumps from powdered material, straining liquids, grading particles, etc, consisting of a container with a mesh or perforated bottom through which the material is shaken or poured
2. rare.
   a person who gossips and spreads secrets
3. memory like a sieve or head like a sieve
   a very poor memory

verb

1. to pass or cause to pass through a sieve
2. troften foll byout to separate or remove (lumps, materials, etc) by use of a sieve

Derived Forms

• ˈsieveˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• sievelike adjective
• un·sieved adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sieve¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English sive, Old English sife; cognate with Dutch zeef, German Sieb; sift

Word History and Origins

Origin of sieve¹

Old English sife; related to Old Norse sef reed with hollow stalk, Old High German sib sieve, Dutch zeef

Example Sentences

Yoakam’s “Greater Bakersfield” is the sieve through which much of “Brighter Days” filtered.

From Los Angeles Times

They also relied on panning - the washing of sediment through a sieve so the gold settles at the bottom.

From BBC

For decades, I’ve heard that the border is little better than a sieve through which millions of migrants easily pass.

From Los Angeles Times

Then the array of detached coils, capacitors, pins and transistors are sieved, sorted, sliced and diced as they move along a conveyor belt.

From BBC

"It's tedious work. We dig a pit, pull out chunks of soil and rock, wash them in a sieve and then carefully sift through thousands of dried, tiny stones to look for diamonds," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• colander