sift: Meaning and Definition of

sift

Pronunciation: (sift), [key]
— v.t.
  1. to separate and retain the coarse parts of (flour, ashes, etc.) with a sieve.
  2. to scatter or sprinkle through or by means of a sieve: to sift sugar onto cake.
  3. to separate by or as if by a sieve.
  4. to examine closely: The detectives are still sifting the evidence.
  5. to question closely.
—v.i.
  1. to sift something.
  2. to pass or fall through or as if through a sieve.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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