sift

/sɪft/
noun
  1. An act of sifting or the process of being sifted.
    • A thorough sift of the sand removed all the pebbles.
    • The first sift of the soil revealed several small fossils.
    • Give the flour a quick sift before using it.
verb
  1. To put a dry substance like flour or sugar through a sieve or mesh to remove lumps or make it lighter.
    • The baker sifted the cocoa powder to make the mixture smooth.
    • You should sift the powdered sugar to avoid clumps in the icing.
    • She sifted the flour before adding it to the cake batter.
  2. To examine something carefully in order to separate useful or important parts from the rest.
    • We need to sift the data to find the relevant information.
    • The detective sifted through the evidence for any clues.
    • He sifted his memories for a happy moment to share.
  3. To scatter or sprinkle a substance through a sieve or by shaking.
    • She sifted a light dusting of sugar over the cookies.
    • He sifted salt onto the icy sidewalk.
    • The gardener sifted compost onto the flower bed.
Antonyms
What does "sift" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean