---
title: sieve — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sieve» in the school dictionary: A sieve is a kitchen tool with a fine net or many small holes, used to separate small bits from big bits, or solids from liquid. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# sieve

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sieve, memory, you, cake, We, us · **What happens:** be, use, separate, sieve, mean, put · **To what, where:** kitchen tool, small bits, something, sieve, things, flour · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«sieve» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [sieve in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sieve.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sieve is a kitchen tool with a fine net or many small holes, used to separate small bits from big bits, or solids from liquid.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:m1:1
# text = A sieve is a kitchen tool with a fine net or many small holes, used to separate small bits from big bits, or solids from liquid.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sieve	sieve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	tool	tool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	net	net	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
13	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	holes	hole	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	parataxis	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	separate	separate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	advcl	_	_
19	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	bits	bit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obj	_	_
21	from	from	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	bits	bit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
25	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
26	solids	solid	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	conj	_	_
27	from	from	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
28	liquid	liquid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a sieve | a kitchen tool |  |  |  | with a fine net or many small holes | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **separate** | to-infinitive |  | small bits |  |  |  | from big bits or solids from liquid | vn separate-23.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent bit=Patient from bit=Co-Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To sieve means to put something through a sieve.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:m2:1
# text = To sieve means to put something through a sieve.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	sieve	sieve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	put	put	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	through	through	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sieve	sieve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sieve** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn disassemble-23.3 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **put** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | something |  | a sieve |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent something=Theme through sieve=Destination |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«A memory like a sieve» means you forget things easily.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:m3:1
# text = «A memory like a sieve» means you forget things easily.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	memory	memory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sieve	sieve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	forget	forget	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	ccomp	_	_
11	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
12	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | a memory like a sieve |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **forget** | present | you | things |  |  |  | easily *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sieve the flour into the bowl so the cake is light.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:x1:1
# text = Sieve the flour into the bowl so the cake is light.
1	Sieve	sieve	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	flour	flour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bowl	bowl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	11	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sieve** | imperative | you *not said here* | the flour |  | the bowl |  |  | vn disassemble-23.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent flour=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present | the cake |  |  |  |  | so light | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We used a sieve to separate the sand from the stones.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:x2:1
# text = We used a sieve to separate the sand from the stones.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	sieve	sieve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	separate	separate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	stones	stone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | We | a sieve |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sieve=Patient |
| 2 | **separate** | to-infinitive | We *not said here* | the sand |  |  |  | from the stones | vn separate-23.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent sand=Patient from stone=Co-Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pour the peas into the sieve to drain the water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:x3:1
# text = Pour the peas into the sieve to drain the water.
1	Pour	pour	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	peas	pea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sieve	sieve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	drain	drain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pour** | imperative | you *not said here* | the peas |  | the sieve |  |  | vn pour-9.5 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: agent=Agent pea=Theme into sieve=Destination |
| 2 | **drain** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | the water |  |  |  |  | vn clear-10.3-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent water=Source |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Salt dissolved in water cannot be separated with a sieve.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:x4:1
# text = Salt dissolved in water cannot be separated with a sieve.
1	Salt	salt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	dissolved	dissolve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	separated	separate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sieve	sieve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dissolve** | participle |  | Salt *not said here* |  | water |  |  | vn break-45.1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **separate** | can · passive |  | Salt |  |  |  | with a sieve | vn separate-23.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Sieve of Eratosthenes helps us find prime numbers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:x5:1
# text = The Sieve of Eratosthenes helps us find prime numbers.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Sieve	Sieve	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Eratosthenes	Eratosthenes	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	prime	prime	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | the Sieve of Eratosthenes | us |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent we=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 2 | **find** | infinitive | us *not said here* | prime numbers |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent number=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I have a memory like a sieve — I forgot my PE kit again.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:x6:1
# text = I have a memory like a sieve — I forgot my PE kit again.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	memory	memory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sieve	sieve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	forgot	forget	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
12	PE	pe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	kit	kit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
14	again	again	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | I | a memory |  |  |  | like a sieve | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent memory=Patient |
| 2 | **forget** | past | I | my PE kit |  |  | again |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gold miners used to sieve river gravel to find gold.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:x7:1
# text = Gold miners used to sieve river gravel to find gold.
1	Gold	gold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	miners	miner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	sieve	sieve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	gravel	gravel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
10	gold	gold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | Gold miners |  |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **sieve** | to-infinitive | Gold miners *not said here* | river gravel |  |  |  |  | vn disassemble-23.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent gravel=Patient |
| 3 | **find** | to-infinitive | Gold miners *not said here* | gold |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent gold=Topic |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And they said to her, "Take a sieve and bring water in it."

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sieve:x8:1
# text = And they said to her, "Take a sieve and bring water in it."
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
2	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	Take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sieve	sieve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	bring	bring	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	_
13	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | they |  | her *= she* |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V PP.recipient S-Quote»: agent=Agent to she=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **take** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | a sieve |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sieve=Theme |
| 3 | **bring** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | water |  | water |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent water=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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