filter

fil·ter  (fltr)

n.

1.

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.

2.

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. Computer Science A program or routine that blocks access to data that meet a particular criterion: a Web filter that screens out vulgar sites.

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. Computer Science To use a filter to block access to (a website or Web content).

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.

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[Middle English filtre, from Old French, from Medieval Latin filtrum, of Germanic origin; see pel-⁵ in Indo-European roots.]

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filter·er n.

filter·less adj.

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filter

Noun

1. a substance, such as paper or sand, that allows fluid to pass but retains solid particles

2. any device containing such a substance, esp. a tip on the mouth end of a cigarette

3. any electronic or acoustic device that blocks signals of certain frequencies while allowing others to pass

4. any transparent disc of gelatine or glass used to reduce the intensity of given frequencies from the light leaving a lamp or entering a camera

5. Brit a traffic signal which permits vehicles to turn either left or right when the main signals are red

Verb

1. Also: (filter out) to remove or separate (particles) from (a liquid or gas) by a filter

2. Also: (filter through) to pass through a filter or something like a filter [Medieval Latin filtrum piece of felt used as a filter]

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filter  (fltr)

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 signals with certain properties, such as signals lying in a certain frequency range, to pass while blocking the passage of others. For example, filters on photographic lenses allow only certain frequencies of light to enter the camera, while polarizing filters allow only light polarized along a given plane to pass. Radio tuners are filters that allow frequencies of only a narrow range to pass into an amplification circuit.

Thesaurus

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"

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filter

noun 1. sieve, mesh, gauze, strainer, membrane, riddle, sifter

verb 2. trickle, leach, seep, percolate, well, escape, leak, penetrate, ooze, dribble, exude

verb 3. (with through) purify, treat, strain, refine, riddle, sift, sieve, winnow, filtrate, screen

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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.

Translations

filter [ˈfɪltəʳ] n → filtro

vt → filtrar

filter in, filter through vi → filtrarse

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filter [ˈfɪltəʳ] n → filtre m

vt → filtrer

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filter [ˈfɪltəʳ] n → Filter m

vt → filtern

filter in filter vi → durchsickern

filter through filter vi = filter in

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filter [ˈfɪltəʳ] n → filtro

vt → filtrare

filter in, filter through vi [news] → trapelare