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Glite Dictionary
to filter out the dross

to filter out the dross

7.2
To remove unwanted things so only useful ones remain
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : filtrar lo innecesario
  • Researchers must filter out the dross to focus on relevant and high-quality data.

Examples

  • We need to filter out the dross from these applications.

  • The editor's job is to filter out the dross and publish only the best articles.

  • It's important to filter out the dross when reviewing feedback from a large audience.

  • The committee will filter out the dross during the review process.

  • The editor worked hard to filter out the dross from the manuscript, ensuring only the best content remained.

  • In order to create a quality report, we need to filter out the dross from the data collected.

  • The teacher advised the students to filter out the dross in their research by focusing only on credible sources.

Synonyms

to weed out
vsto filter out the dross
37 3.8

To remove unwanted people or things from a group

includes all unwanted elements, not just people or less desirable items
to filter out
vsto filter out the dross
20 3.8

To remove unwanted things from water, air, or lists by letting the rest pass

is broader, applying to any removal that keeps only useful elements
to screen out
vsto filter out the dross
9 4.3

To check and remove people or things that are not wanted

aims to leave only useful elements rather than formal exclusion procedures
to separate the wheat from the chaff
vsto filter out the dross
  • Informal
3 6.6

To pick out useful people or things from those that are not

applies to removing worthless elements rather than only making a distinction
to filter out the noise
vsto filter out the dross
  • Informal
1 3.5

To remove unwanted sounds or information to focus on what matters

applies more generally across collections, not only to distractions or information
to sieve out
vsto filter out the dross
1 5.3

Remove unwanted bits from food or material by passing them through a screen

is not limited to mesh methods, applying to many removal techniques
to sort through the dross
vsto filter out the dross
  • Informal
8.7

To look through a group of things and keep what is useful

is broader, applying to any process that leaves only useful elements
to comb out
vsto filter out the dross
5.4

To remove unwanted parts from something after checking it carefully

is used for general removal without implying careful, detailed checking

Antonyms

to retain
60 3.0

To hold something inside so it does not escape

How Thorough

to purge
49 6.3
to refine
  • Specialized
41 3.9
to filter out the dross
  • Informal
7.2
to cleanse
33 3.0
to sort out
37 2.8

Surface Forms

filter out the dross infinitive
filtered out the dross past
filtered out the dross past participle
filtering out the dross present participle
filters out the dross third person singular

Morphology

filter + out + the + dross

The meaning is directly compositional: 'filter' (remove unwanted parts) + particle 'out' yields the phrasal verb 'filter out' (to remove), and 'dross' means waste or worthless material. A learner who knows these constituents can readily infer 'filter out the dross' as 'remove the worthless/unwanted elements,' a pattern common across languages and transparent at B1 level.

Etymology

Filter out the dross comes from making metal: when people melted metal to make tools, light waste called dross floated on top and workers would filter out or skim it away. So filter out the dross means 'to remove the worthless parts' and keep only what is useful.