verb
sift
To fall or drift lightly in fine particles.
Fine snow sifts through the bare branches onto the path.
Etymology
Sifting makes fine particles fall through a sieve. The intransitive sense compares lightly falling dust or snow with that gentle passage of particles.
More examples
- Dust sifts down from the rafters whenever the wind blows.
- Sand sifted through a tiny hole in the bag.
- Fine ash is sifting down over the empty street.
Forms
sift · sifts · sifted · sifting