filter

1. 1

   A device which separates a suspended, dissolved, or particulate matter from a fluid, solution, or other substance; any device that separates one substance from another.

   • Then add four drops of crocodile semen, and pass the mixture through a filter.
2. 2

   Electronics or software that separates unwanted signals (for example noise) from wanted signals or that attenuates selected frequencies.

3. 3

   Any item, mechanism, device, or procedure that acts to separate or isolate.

   • He runs an email filter to catch the junk mail.
4. 4

   Self-restraint in speech.figuratively

   • He's got no filter, and he's always offending people as a result.
5. 5

   A non-empty upper set (of a partially ordered set) which is closed under binary infima (a.k.a. meets).

   • The collection of cofinite subsets of ℝ is a filter under inclusion: it includes the intersection of every pair of its members, and includes every superset of every cofinite set.
6. 6

   A translucent object placed in the light path of a camera to remove certain wavelengths (colors), or a computer program that simulates such an effect.

7. 7

   An appearance-altering digital image effect.

   • He don't need no filter posting pictures!

ant. ideal

1. 1

   To sort, sift, or isolate.transitive

   • This strainer should filter out the large particles.
2. 2

   To diffuse; to cause to be less concentrated or focused.transitive

   • The leaves of the trees filtered the light.
3. 3

   To pass through a filter or to act as though passing through a filter.intransitive

   • The water filtered through the rock and soil.
4. 4

   To move slowly or gradually; to come or go a few at a time.intransitive

   • The crowd filtered into the theater.
5. 5

   To ride a motorcycle between lanes on a roadintransitive

   • I can skip past all the traffic on my bike by filtering.
6. 6

   To be discouraged where a connoisseur or hardcore fan would not.derogatoryintransitiveslang

   • Most people get filtered by that episode.