Sieve (noun)

1. A utensil consisting of a mesh or perforated surface, used for separating coarser from finer parts of a mixture, as of sand and pebbles or flour and bran.
2. An instrument for determining the fineness of powder, consisting of a metal or plastic drum with a fine mesh screen in the bottom, used for the testing and grading of powders or granules.

Origin:

From middle english sive, from old english sīf, from proto-germanic *sībō ("sieve"), from proto-indo-european *sewbʰ- ("to sew").

Examples:

1. The farmer used a sieve to separate the wheat from the chaff.
2. The chef used a sieve to sift the flour.
3. The sieve is used to separate the big pieces of food from the small ones.
4. The sieve is used to sift out the rocks and debris.
5. The sieve is used to test the fineness of powders.