1. Separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements
   "sift the flour";
   - sieve, strain
    
2. Check and sort carefully
   "sift the information";
   - sieve
    
3. Distinguish and separate out
   "sift through the job candidates";
   - sieve
    
4. Move as if through a sieve
   "The soldiers sifted through the woods"

Derived forms: sifted, sifting, sifts

Type of: analyse [Brit, Cdn], analyze [N. Amer], canvass, choose, examine, go, locomote, move, pick out, select, separate, study, take, travel

Encyclopedia: Sift