Sieve

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Sieve, n. [OE. sive, AS. sife; akin to D. zeef, zift, OHG. sib, G. sieb. a. Cf. Sift.].

•  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.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  A kind of coarse basket.  Simmonds.  [1913 Webster]

Sieve cells (Bot.), cribriform cells. See under Cribriform.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Sieve, n. & v.
--n. a utensil having a perforated or meshed bottom for separating solids or coarse material from liquids or fine particles, or for reducing a soft solid to a fine pulp.
--v.tr.
1 put through or sift with a sieve.
2 examine (evidence etc.) to select or separate.

Idiom

head like a sieve colloq. a memory that retains little.

Derivative

sievelike adj.

Etymology

OE sife f. WG

THESAURUS

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

ROGET THESAURUS

Sieve

Cleanness

N cleanness, cleanliness, purity, cleaning, purification, defecation, purgation, lustration, detersion, abstersion, epuration, mundation, ablution, lavation, colature, disinfection, drainage, sewerage, lavatory, laundry, washhouse, washerwoman, laundress, dhobi, laundryman, washerman, scavenger, dustman, sweep, white wings brush, broom, besom, mop, rake, shovel, sieve, riddle, screen, filter, blotter, napkin, cloth, maukin, malkin, handkerchief, towel, sudary, doyley, doily, duster, sponge, mop, swab, cover, drugget, wash, lotion, detergent, cathartic, purgative, purifier, disinfectant, aperient, benzene, benzine benzol, benolin, bleaching powder, chloride of lime, dentifrice, deobstruent, laxative, clean, cleanly, pure, immaculate, spotless, stainless, taintless, trig, without a stain, unstained, unspotted, unsoiled, unsullied, untainted, uninfected, sweet, sweet as a nut, neat, spruce, tidy, trim, gimp, clean as a new penny, like a cat in pattens, cleaned, kempt, abstergent, cathartic, cleansing, purifying, neatly, clean as a whistle.

Arrangement

N arrangement, plan, preparation, disposal, disposition, collocation, allocation, distribution, sorting, assortment, allotment, apportionment, taxis, taxonomy, syntaxis, graduation, organization, grouping, tabulation, analysis, classification, clustering, division, digestion, digest, synopsis, syntagma, table, atlas, file, database, register, organism, architecture, sieve, riddle, screen, sorter, arranged, embattled, in battle array, cut and dried, methodical, orderly, regular, systematic, In vast cumbrous array.

Sponge

N sponge, honeycomb, network, frit, filter, sieve, net, screen (opening), cellular, spongy, spongious, honeycombed, alveolar, sintered, porous (opening).

Opening

N opening, hole, foramen, puncture, perforation, fontanel, transforation, pinhole, keyhole, loophole, porthole, peephole, mousehole, pigeonhole, eye of a needle, eyelet, slot, opening, aperture, apertness, hiation, yawning, oscitancy, dehiscence, patefaction, pandiculation, chasm, embrasure, window, casement, abatjour, light, sky light, fan light, lattice, bay window, bow window, oriel, dormer, lantern, outlet, inlet, vent, vomitory, embouchure, orifice, mouth, sucker, muzzle, throat, gullet, weasand, wizen, nozzle, placket, portal, porch, gate, ostiary, postern, wicket, trapdoor, hatch, door, arcade, cellarway, driveway, gateway, doorway, hatchway, gangway, lich gate, way, path, thoroughfare, channel, passage, passageway, tube, pipe, water pipe, air pipe, vessel, tubule, canal, gut, fistula, adjutage, ajutage, ostium, smokestack, chimney, flue, tap, funnel, gully, tunnel, main, mine, pit, adit, shaft, gallery, alley, aisle, glade, vista, bore, caliber, pore, blind orifice, fulgurite, thundertube, porousness, porosity, sieve, cullender, colander, cribble, riddle, screen, honeycomb, apertion, perforation, piercing, terebration, empalement, pertusion, puncture, acupuncture, penetration, key, opener, master key, password, combination, passe- partout, open, perforated, perforate, wide open, ajar, unclosed, unstopped, oscitant, gaping, yawning, patent, tubular, cannular, fistulous, pervious, permeable, foraminous, vesicular, vasicular, porous, follicular, cribriform, honeycombed, infundibular, riddled, tubulous, tubulated, piped, tubate, opening, aperient, Int, open sesame!.