sift

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
sift/sɪft/

▶verb

• 1 put (a dry substance) through a sieve so as to remove lumps or large particles.

• 2 cause to flow or pass as through a sieve.

  ■ (of snow, light, etc.) descend lightly or sparsely as if sprinkled through a sieve.

• 3 examine thoroughly so as to isolate that which is most important.

▶noun an act of sifting.

– derivatives
sifted adjective,
sifter noun,
sifting noun.

– origin OE siftan, of W. Gmc origin; rel. to sieve.