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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Sift \Sift\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Sifted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Sifting}.] [AS. siftan, from sife sieve. [root]151a. See
{Sieve}.]
1. To separate with a sieve, as the fine part of a substance
from the coarse; as, to sift meal or flour; to sift
powder; to sift sand or lime.
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2. To separate or part as if with a sieve.
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When yellow sands are sifted from below,
The glittering billows give a golden show. --Dryden.
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3. To examine critically or minutely; to scrutinize.
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Sifting the very utmost sentence and syllable.
--Hooker.
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Opportunity I here have had
To try thee, sift thee. --Milton.
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Let him but narrowly sift his ideas. --I. Taylor.
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{To sift out}, to search out with care, as if by sifting.
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