sort through
Definition
The meaning: Sort through means to examine a collection of things one by one in order to organise them, find something specific, or decide what to keep.
La signification : Sort through signifie « trier » ou « passer en revue » un ensemble d’objets ou d’informations pour organiser, retrouver ou décider de ce qui est important.
Example: “She spent the afternoon sorting through old photos in the attic.”
Word Analysis
French equivalents »» Trier »» Passer en revue »» Faire le tri Ⓐ Il faut faire le tri dans ces papiers. Ⓑ Elle passe en revue ses e-mails tous les matins. English equivalents »» Go through »» Look over »» Review Ⓐ I need to sort through my wardrobe this weekend. Ⓑ He went through the documents to find the missing receipt.
Dialogue
Anna: "What are you doing with all those boxes?"
Tokoloho: "I’m sorting through them to find my passport."
Anna: "Good luck! That’s going to take a while."
Etymology
Origin: The verb sort comes from the Latin sortiri, meaning “to allot or choose by lot.” The phrasal verb “sort through” emerged in modern English to describe the act of examining things methodically.
Modern Usage: Frequently used in everyday English when talking about organising, especially with physical or digital clutter.
Grammar Note: “Sort through” is a transitive phrasal verb, typically used with objects like items, papers, or memories. Example: “They sorted through old files before moving.”
Audience
Sort through is commonly used in both spoken and written English, suitable for general audiences including learners and native speakers.
When to use: Use this phrasal verb when referring to the action of organising or inspecting a group of items or data. Example: “She had to sort through dozens of resumes before finding the right candidate.”
Poem Extract
After the Funeral [excerpt]
We opened closets and bureau drawers
and packed away, in boxes, dresses and shoes,
the silk under things still wrapped in tissue.
We sorted through cedar chests. We gathered
and set aside the keepsakes and the good silver
and brought up from the coal cellar
jars of tomato sauce, peppers, jellied fruit.
Poet: Peter EverwineThe Poet's Books
Read the Full Poem
Extra! Extra!
For a fun and engaging exploration of our word of the day, watch the following…Sort Out and Sort Through
Sort out: meaning
WordReference
When exploring the nuances of words, sometimes dictionaries don't provide enough context. The WordReference Forums offer insightful discussions that delve into the subtleties of language, including idiomatic expressions, usage nuances, and translations across languages.
Here are some quick links to help you navigate WordReference for deeper understanding:
» English⇄English–Discuss and learn about words and their usage.
» English⇄French–Explore translations and linguistic nuances
» Synonyms⇄Antonyms–Contextual variations, etc.
Common Idioms & Expressions Related to "Sort Through"
Sift through
To carefully examine or sort through something, often to find what is useful or important.
Example: "She sifted through the old letters to find her grandmother’s recipe."
Go through with a fine-tooth comb
To examine something very thoroughly and meticulously.
Example: "The lawyer went through the contract with a fine-tooth comb."
Separate the wheat from the chaff
To distinguish valuable things from worthless ones.
Example: "It took hours to separate the wheat from the chaff in those old files."
Pick through
To carefully select items from a disorganized or cluttered collection.
Example: "He picked through the thrift store bins for rare vinyl records."
Weed out
To remove unwanted or unnecessary things from a group.
Example: "The coach weeded out the weakest players during tryouts."
Dig through
To search thoroughly, often in a messy or large collection.
Example: "I had to dig through my closet to find my passport."
Comments
Post a Comment