filter

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fil·ter

(fĭl′tər)

a. A porous material through which a liquid or gas is passed in order to separate the fluid from suspended particulate matter.

b. A device containing such a material, especially one used to extract impurities from air or water.

a. Any of various electric, electronic, acoustic, or optical devices used to reject signals, vibrations, or radiations of certain frequencies while allowing others to pass.

b. A colored glass or other transparent material used to select the wavelengths of light allowed to reach a photosensitive material.

3. Computers A program or device that blocks email or restricts website access when specific criteria are met.

4. Informal The ability or tendency to censor oneself, as to avoid causing embarrassment or offense: My roommate has no filter and says whatever he's thinking at the moment.

v. fil·tered, fil·ter·ing, fil·ters

v.tr.

1. To pass (a liquid or gas) through a filter.

2. To remove by passing through a filter: filter out impurities.

3. Computers To use a filter to block or restrict access to: a program that filters spam.

4. Informal To censor (oneself), as to avoid causing embarrassment or offense.

v.intr.

1. To pass through or as if through a filter: Light filtered through the blinds.

2. To come or go gradually and in small groups: The audience filtered back into the hall.

[Middle English filtre, from Old French, from Medieval Latin filtrum, of Germanic origin; see pel- in Indo-European roots.]

fil′ter·er n.

fil′ter·less adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

filter

(ˈfɪltə)

1. (Chemistry) a porous substance, such as paper or sand, that allows fluid to pass but retains suspended solid particles: used to clean fluids or collect solid particles

2. (Chemistry) any device containing such a porous substance for separating suspensions from fluids

3. (Brewing) any of various porous substances built into the mouth end of a cigarette or cigar for absorbing impurities such as tar

4. (General Physics) any electronic, optical, or acoustic device that blocks signals or radiations of certain frequencies while allowing others to pass. See also band-pass filter

5. (Photography) any transparent disc of gelatine or glass used to eliminate or reduce the intensity of given frequencies from the light leaving a lamp, entering a camera, etc

6. (Automotive Engineering) Brit a traffic signal at a road junction consisting of a green arrow which when illuminated permits vehicles to turn either left or right when the main signals are red

7. (Chemistry) (often foll by out) to remove or separate (suspended particles, wavelengths of radiation, etc) from (a liquid, gas, radiation, etc) by the action of a filter

8. (tr) to obtain by filtering

9. (foll by: through) to pass (through a filter or something like a filter): dust filtered through the screen.

10. (intr) to flow slowly; trickle

[C16 filtre from Medieval Latin filtrum piece of felt used as a filter, of Germanic origin; see felt²]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

fil•ter

(ˈfɪl tər)

n.

1. any substance, as cloth, paper, porous porcelain, or charcoal, through which liquid or gas is passed to remove suspended impurities or to recover solids.

2. any device, as a tank or tube, containing such a substance for filtering.

3. any of various analogous devices, as for removing dust from air or impurities from tobacco smoke.

4. Informal. a filter-tipped cigarette or cigar.

5. a lens screen of dyed gelatin or glass used in photography to control the rendering of color or to diminish the intensity of light.

6. an electronic circuit or device that passes certain frequencies and blocks others.

v.t.

7. to remove by the action of a filter.

8. to act as a filter for; to slow or partially obstruct the passage of.

9. to pass through or as if through a filter.

v.i.

10. to pass or slip through slowly, as through an obstruction or a filter; penetrate.

[1375–1425; late Middle English filtre < Medieval Latin filtrum felt, piece of felt used to strain liquids < Germanic; see felt²]

fil′ter•er, n.

fil·ter

(fĭl′tər)

1. A material that has very tiny holes and is used to separate out solid particles contained in a liquid or gas that is passed through it.

2. A device that allows certain frequencies of energy waves to pass while blocking the passage of others. For example, filters on photographic lenses allow only certain frequencies of light to enter the camera.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

filter

In electronics, a device which transmits only part of the incident energy and may thereby change the spectral distribution of energy: a. High pass filters transmit energy above a certain frequency; b. Low pass filters transmit energy below a certain frequency; c. Band pass filters transmit energy of a certain bandwidth; d. Band stop filters transmit energy outside a specific frequency band.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

filter

Past participle: filtered
Gerund: filtering

Imperative
filter
filter

Present
I filter
you filter
he/she/it filters
we filter
you filter
they filter

Preterite
I filtered
you filtered
he/she/it filtered
we filtered
you filtered
they filtered

Present Continuous
I am filtering
you are filtering
he/she/it is filtering
we are filtering
you are filtering
they are filtering

Present Perfect
I have filtered
you have filtered
he/she/it has filtered
we have filtered
you have filtered
they have filtered

Past Continuous
I was filtering
you were filtering
he/she/it was filtering
we were filtering
you were filtering
they were filtering

Past Perfect
I had filtered
you had filtered
he/she/it had filtered
we had filtered
you had filtered
they had filtered

Future
I will filter
you will filter
he/she/it will filter
we will filter
you will filter
they will filter

Future Perfect
I will have filtered
you will have filtered
he/she/it will have filtered
we will have filtered
you will have filtered
they will have filtered

Future Continuous
I will be filtering
you will be filtering
he/she/it will be filtering
we will be filtering
you will be filtering
they will be filtering

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been filtering
you have been filtering
he/she/it has been filtering
we have been filtering
you have been filtering
they have been filtering

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been filtering
you will have been filtering
he/she/it will have been filtering
we will have been filtering
you will have been filtering
they will have been filtering

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been filtering
you had been filtering
he/she/it had been filtering
we had been filtering
you had been filtering
they had been filtering

Conditional
I would filter
you would filter
he/she/it would filter
we would filter
you would filter
they would filter

Past Conditional
I would have filtered
you would have filtered
he/she/it would have filtered
we would have filtered
you would have filtered
they would have filtered

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

filter

A device containing a porous material, for example, paper or sand, which can remove suspended solid particles from a fluid.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	filter - device that removes something from whatever passes through it air cleaner, air filter - a filter that removes dust from the air that passes through it bacteria bed - layer of sand or gravel used to expose sewage effluent to air and the action of microorganisms coffee filter - filter (usually of paper) that passes the coffee and retains the coffee grounds device - an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device intended to conserve water" drain basket - a filter in a sink drain; traps debris but passes water filter bed - filter consisting of a layer of sand or gravel for filtering water fuel filter - a filter in the fuel line that screens out dirt and rust particles from the fuel diffusing screen, light filter - a transparent filter that reduces the light (or some wavelengths of the light) passing through it oil filter - a filter that removes impurities from the oil used to lubricate an internal-combustion engine strainer - a filter to retain larger pieces while smaller pieces and liquids pass through water filter - a filter to remove impurities from the water supply glass wool - glass fibers spun and massed into bundles resembling wool diatomaceous earth, diatomite, kieselguhr - a light soil consisting of siliceous diatom remains and often used as a filtering material
	2.	filter - an electrical device that alters the frequency spectrum of signals passing through it electrical device - a device that produces or is powered by electricity high-pass filter - a filter that passes frequencies above a certain value and attenuates frequencies below that value low-pass filter - a filter that passes frequencies below a certain value and attenuates frequencies above that value
Verb	1.	filter - remove by passing through a filter; "filter out the impurities" filter out, filtrate, separate out, strain separate - divide into components or constituents; "Separate the wheat from the chaff"
	2.	filter - pass through; "Water permeates sand easily" permeate, sink in, percolate penetrate, perforate - pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance; "The bullet penetrated her chest" infiltrate - pass into or through by filtering or permeating; "the substance infiltrated the material" infiltrate - cause (a liquid) to enter by penetrating the interstices
	3.	filter - run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream; "water trickled onto the lawn from the broken hose"; "reports began to dribble in" dribble, trickle course, flow, run, feed - move along, of liquids; "Water flowed into the cave"; "the Missouri feeds into the Mississippi" percolate, leach - permeate or penetrate gradually; "the fertilizer leached into the ground"

filter

verb

1. purify, treat, strain, refine, riddle, sift, sieve, winnow, filtrate, screen The best prevention for cholera is to filter water.

2. trickle, leach, seep, percolate, well, escape, leak, penetrate, ooze, dribble, exude Water filtered through the peat.

3. seep, trickle, percolate, reach gradually The news began to filter through to the politicians.

noun

1. sieve, mesh, gauze, strainer, membrane, riddle, sifter a paper coffee filter

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

جِهَاز تَرْشِيحجِهاز تَرْشيحمُرَشِّح ألوانيَتَسَرَّبيُرَشَّح السائِل

filtrfiltrovatfiltrovýpronikatprosakovat

filterfiltreresivefilter-

Filter filtern passieren filtrieren durchsickern

φιλτράρω φίλτρο

filtro filtrar filtrarse

suodatinsuodattaasuodattuasuodintippua

filtre filtrer infiltrer

filterfiltrirati

kiegészítõ lámpával kanyarodik

filter; ljóssía, litsíasíasía, filtersíast út

filtro filtrare diradarsi dirigersi

フィルター濾過する濾過器

거르다필터

cigaretė su filtrufiltrasfiltruotifiltruotisprasiskverbti

filtrskļūt zināmamnākt gaismāfiltr-filtrēt

filter filteren sijpelen druppelen

filter filtrere lysfilter sive ut fargefilter

filtr przefiltrować

filtro filtrar

фильтр фильтровать

filterfiltrovaťfiltrový

filterfiltrirati

filterfiltrera

เครื่องกรองกรอง

filtre süzmek yayılmaksızmaksüzgeç

lọccái lọc

过滤过滤器慢慢传开滤光器滤色镜

filter

[ˈfɪltəʳ]

A. N

1. (gen, Phot) → filtro m

2. (Brit) (Aut) → semáforo m de flecha de desvío

B. VT [+ liquid, air] → filtrar

C. VI [liquid, light] → filtrarse
to filter to the left (Aut) → tomar el carril izquierdo

D. CPD filter coffee N (= powder) → café m para filtrar; (= cup of coffee) → café m hecho con cafetera de filtro
filter lane N (Aut) → carril m de giro
filter light N → semáforo m de flecha de desvío
filter paper N → papel m de filtro

filter back VI + ADV [news, rumour] → llegar; [people] → volver poco a poco

filter in VI + ADV [light] → filtrarse; [news, rumour] → llegar; [people] → entrar (poco a poco)

filter out

A. VT + ADV [+ impurities] → quitar filtrando

B. VI + ADV [news] → trascender, llegar a saberse

filter through VI + ADV = filter in

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

filter

[ˈfɪltə^r]

(for liquid) → filtre m; (for light) → filtre m; (in washing machine, car) → filtre m

(at traffic lights) → flèche f (permettant à une file de voitures de passer)

vt [+ liquid] → filtrer

filter in

vi (= enter gradually) [people] → entrer par petits groupes
to filter into sth [light] → filtrer dans qch

filter through

vi (= arrive) [news, details] → filtrer
to filter through to sb (= reach) → filtrer jusqu'à qnfilter cigarette n → cigarette f à bout filtre, cigarette f filtrefilter coffee n → café m filtrefilter lane n (British) (at traffic lights) → file f (matérialisée sur la chaussée)filter light n (on traffic light) → flèche f (de feux de signalisation)filter paper n → papier m filtrefilter tip n → bout m filtre

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

filter

→ Filter m; (Phot, Rad, Mech) → Filter nt or m

(Brit, for traffic) → grüner Pfeil (für Abbieger)

vt liquids, air → filtern; sunlight → durchschimmern lassen; information → vorsortieren

(light) → durchscheinen, durchschimmern; (liquid, sound) → durchsickern

(Brit Aut) → sich einordnen; to filter to the left → sich links einordnen

filter

filter bag

n → Kaffeefilter m

filter bed

n → Klärbecken nt

filter coffee

n → Filterkaffee m

filter lane

n (Brit) → Spur f → zum Einordnen, Abbiegespur f

filter paper

n → Filterpapier nt

filter tip

n → Filter m

filter-tipped

adj filter cigarette → Filterzigarette f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

filter

[ˈfɪltəʳ]

1. n → filtro

2. vt → filtrare

3. vi to filter to the left (Aut) → immettersi nella corsia di svincolo

filter in filter through vi + adv (news) → trapelare

filter

(ˈfiltə) noun

1. a strainer or other device through which liquid, gas, smoke etc can pass, but not solid material. A filter is used to make sure that the oil is clean and does not contain any dirt; (also adjective) filter paper.

2. a kind of screening plate used to change or correct certain colours. If you are taking photographs in sun and snow, you should use a blue filter.

verb

1. (of liquids) to (become) clean by passing through a filter. The rain-water filtered into a tank.

2. to come bit by bit or gradually. The news filtered out.

ˌfilter-ˈtip noun

(a cigarette with) a filter.

filter

→ جِهَاز تَرْشِيح, يُصَفِّي filtr, filtrovat filter, filtrere Filter, filtern φιλτράρω, φίλτρο filtrar, filtro suodatin, suodattaa filtre, filtrer filter, filtrirati filtrare, filtro 濾過する, 濾過器 거르다, 필터 filter, filteren filter, filtrere filtr, przefiltrować filtrar, filtro фильтр, фильтровать filter, filtrera เครื่องกรอง, กรอง filtre, süzmek cái lọc, lọc 过滤, 过滤器

fil·ter

n. filtro;

v. filtrar;

to ___ through → filtrarse.

filter

n filtro; inferior vena cava — filtro de la vena cava inferior; vt filtrar

References in classic literature ?

He plunged his hands into them and let the priceless gems filter through his fingers.

View in context

Now as the Princess walked daily in the green forest, hearing the wind singing in the branches and seeing the sunlight filter through the lattice-work of green leaves, there came unto her thoughts that had lain asleep in the stifling air of the cottage and the weariness of guiding the plough.

View in context

"You say this filter's got to be replaced," he told his chief of the water-works.

View in context

Various water-courses filter through, toward the east, and work their way onward to flow into the Kingani, in the midst of gigantic clumps of sycamore, tamarind, calabash, and palmyra trees.

View in context

In time, of course, the idea would filter through their thick skulls, but in the meanwhile many things might happen--the blacks might return in force to regain their village; the whites might readily pick them all off with their rifles from the surrounding trees; he might even starve to death before the dull-witted apes realized that he wished them to gnaw through his bonds.

View in context

She made the first use of the opportunity the day after old Chester's death; indeed, as soon as the news had filtered in through the back door of Diana's Grove.

View in context

"I really had no adequate idea of the coarseness and rudeness which have filtered their way through society in these later times until I saw the reception accorded to my wife.

View in context

As I passed the Methodist Church, I saw three white figures ahead of me, pacing up and down under the arching maple trees, where the moonlight filtered through the lush June foliage.

View in context

The faint light that filtered in from above showed him a large, low-ceiled vault from which several doorways led off into inky darkness, but there was no need to thread an unknown way, for there before him lay the objects of his search--the mad brute had the girl upon the floor, and gorilla-like fingers were clutching frantically at her throat as she struggled to escape the fury of the awful thing upon her.

View in context

Preceding each shower a mysterious gloom, like the passage of a shadow above the firmament of gray clouds, filters down upon the ship.

View in context

Faint light filtered from above through occasional ventilating and lighting tubes, but it was scarce sufficient to enable my human eyes to cope with the darkness, and so I was forced to move with extreme care, feeling my way along step by step with a hand upon the wall beside me.

View in context

Gossip had filtered to Anne regarding the light in which the Gardners viewed the "infatuation" of son and brother.

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