Sieve

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sieve \Sieve\, n. [OE. sive, AS. sife; akin to D. zeef, zift,
     OHG. sib, G. sieb. [root]151a. Cf. {Sift}.]
     1. A utensil for separating the finer and coarser parts of a
        pulverized or granulated substance from each other. It
        consist of a vessel, usually shallow, with the bottom
        perforated, or made of hair, wire, or the like, woven in


        meshes. "In a sieve thrown and sifted." --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A kind of coarse basket. --Simmonds.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Sieve cells} (Bot.), cribriform cells. See under
        {Cribriform}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  sieve
       n : a strainer for separating lumps from powdered material or
           grading particles [syn: {screen}]
       v 1: examine in order to test suitability; "screen these
            samples"; "screen the job applicants" [syn: {screen}, {screen
            out}, {sort}]
       2: check and sort carefully; "sift the information" [syn: {sift}]
       3: separate by passing through a sieve or other straining
          device to separate out coarser elements; "sift the flour"
          [syn: {sift}, {strain}]
       4: distinguish and separate out; "sift through the job
          candidates" [syn: {sift}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  171 Moby Thesaurus words for "sieve":
     analyze, analyzer, arabesque, assort, basketry, basketwork, bolt,
     bolter, breaker, cancellation, categorize, centrifuge, clack,
     clarifier, clarify, classify, clear, colander, collate,
     contradistinguish, cordon, cordon off, cradle, cribble,
     cribriformity, cribrosity, cross-hatching, crossing-out, cull out,
     cutter, decrassify, demarcate, demark, depurate, differentiate,
     discriminate, distill, distinguish, divide, draw the line,
     edulcorate, elute, essentialize, extract, filigree, filter,
     filtrate, fret, fretwork, ghettoize, gin, gossiper, gradate, grade,
     grate, grating, grid, gridiron, grille, grillwork, group, hachure,
     hatching, honeycomb, insulate, interlacement, intertexture,
     intertwinement, isolate, keep apart, keep aside, lace, lacery,
     lacework, lacing, lattice, latticework, lay aside, leach,
     lixiviate, lixiviator, mark the interface, mesh, meshes, meshwork,
     net, netting, network, percolate, percolator, pick out, plexure,
     plexus, porosity, porousness, purifier, purify, put aside,
     quarantine, quidnunc, raddle, rank, rectify, refine, refiner,
     refinery, reticle, reticulation, reticule, reticulum, riddle,
     rocker, rumormonger, scandalmonger, screen, screen out, screening,
     seclude, segregate, select, separate, separator, set a limit,
     set apart, set aside, set off, sever, severalize, sieve out,
     sievelikeness, sift, sift out, sifter, size, sort, sort out,
     sorter, spiritualize, split hairs, sponge, strain, strainer,
     stripper, subdivide, sublimate, sublime, subordinate, subtilize,
     tabby, talebearer, texture, thrash, thresh, tissue, tracery,
     trellis, trelliswork, try, wattle, weave, weaving, web, webbing,
     webwork, weft, wicker, wickerwork, winnow, winnowing basket,
     winnowing fan, winnowing machine