noun
sieve
sihv
noun
1
A kitchen tool with a mesh bottom used to separate larger pieces from smaller ones or to drain liquid from solids.
"She pushed the raspberries through a sieve to remove the seeds."
"Rinse the rice in a fine sieve before cooking it."
2
Something, or someone, that lets too much through — a poor filter, especially for secrets or memory.
"His memory is a sieve; he forgets names within seconds."
verb
1
To pass something through a sieve; to sift or strain.
"Sieve the flour before adding it to the mixture."
How to Use Sieve
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA mesh tool for separating fine from coarse, or, informally, anyone/anything too leaky to hold things in.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with sift, the verb for the general action — a sieve is the tool itself.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
pass through a sieve
fine sieve
mind like a sieve
Word Forms
sieved past tense, sieves plural, sieves singular
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She pushed the raspberries through a _____ to remove the seeds.
Etymology
From Old English sife, an old Germanic word related to German Sieb — ultimately from a root meaning "to pour or strain".