sieve

1 of 2

noun

ˈsiv 

: a device with meshes or perforations through which finer particles of a mixture (as of ashes, flour, or sand) of various sizes may be passed to separate them from coarser ones, through which the liquid may be drained from liquid-containing material, or through which soft materials may be forced for reduction to fine particles

sieve

2 of 2

verb

sieved; sieving

: sift

Examples of sieve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Once all butter has been incorporated into the reduction, add salt to taste and strain through a fine sieve. —Fox News Staff, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2025

Kevin Stefanski’s downfield play-action offense in Cleveland is not ideal; Brian Daboll’s quicker passing attack in New York might make sense, but that offensive line is a sieve and Sanders is not athletic enough to tap into some of the best parts of Daboll’s playbook. —Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025

Verb

Later, Meghan scrapes the honey off the hive frame, clearly in awe of the whole process, and sieves it to get rid of the honeycomb. —Issy Ronald, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025

No other team, however, can match the numbers of a Burnley side that, lest it be forgotten, sieved 78 goals in 38 games while being relegated from the Premier League under Vincent Kompany’s management last season. —Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sive, from Old English sife; akin to Old High German sib sieve

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sieve

• have a memory/mind like a sieve
• molecular sieve
• sieve of Eratosthenes
• sieve plate
• sieve tube

Rhymes for sieve

• give
• corroborative
• determinative
• forgive
• ogive
• outlive
• relive
• germinative
• transformative
• resistive

Kids Definition

sieve

1 of 2 noun

ˈsiv 

: a device with meshes or holes to separate finer particles from coarser ones or solids from liquids

sieve

2 of 2 verb

sieved; sieving

: to put through a sieve : sift

sieve the tomatoes to remove the seeds