sieve
UK[sɪv]US[sɪv]
n
a tool consisting of a frame with a wire or plastic net attached to it, used for separating solids from liquids or larger solids from smaller solids
v
to put something through a sieve
Etymology
the word "sieve" descends directly from the old english 'sife', a term for the straining utensil. its lineage can be traced back through proto-germanic sibi, ultimately to the proto-indo-european root seib-, meaning "to pour out, trickle, drip." this etymological connection reveals the core logic of the tool: it is an instrument for separating finer particles by allowing them to "pour through" its mesh. the modern spelling stabilized in middle english, solidifying its form as a fundamental term for a filtering device.
Analysis
the word is a simplex. it is a direct borrowing from old english 'sife', which has germanic origins.
Examples
pass the flour through a sieve to remove any lumps.
she carefully sieved the soil to find small archaeological fragments.
his memory is like a sieve; he forgets everything.