filter
noun
verb
ˈfɪltə noun
1 something that you pass water, air etc through in order to remove unwanted substances and make it clean or suitable to use 过滤器
water/air/oil etc filter
a pond filter
池塘过滤器
coffee filter papers
咖啡滤纸
filter cigarettes (=with a filter at the end)
过滤嘴香烟
2 a piece of equipment or computer program that only allows certain sounds, images, signals, types of information etc to pass through it 〔只允许特定声音、图像、信号、信息等通过的〕过滤器，过滤程序
a UVA light filter
长波紫外线滤光器
The firm uses electronic filters to prevent workers from accessing the Internet.
该公司利用电子过滤器来防止员工上因特网。
3 a traffic light that shows car drivers when they can turn right or left [英] 〔指示汽车司机右转或左转的〕转弯信号灯 BrE
verb
4 to remove unwanted substances from water, air etc by passing it through a special substance or piece of equipment 〔用特别的物质或设备〕过滤 T
The water in the tank is constantly filtered.
鱼缸里的水在不停地过滤。
The ozone layer fliters harmful UV rays from the sun.
臭氧层过滤掉有害的太阳紫外线。
5 if people filter somewhere, they move gradually to that place 〔人群〕逐渐移动，逐渐走过 I always + adv/prep
Chattering noisily, the crowd began to filter into the auditorium.
人群叽叽喳喳说着话，开始慢慢步入会堂。
6 if news, information etc filters somewhere, people gradually hear about it from each other 〔消息、信息等〕慢慢传开，走漏，泄漏 I always + adv/prep
The news gradually filtered through from Bombay last night.
昨晚消息渐渐从孟买传开了。
7 if light or sound filters into a place, it can be seen or heard only slightly 〔光线或声音〕隐约地透过，隐约地传入 I always + adv/prep
Moonlight filtered in through the frosted window.
月光透过磨砂玻璃窗照射进来。
The familiar notes of Beethoven’s ‘Für Elise’ filtered from the bar.
贝多芬《致爱丽丝》那熟悉的音符从酒吧传来。
8 if traffic filters, or if a system filters it, cars can turn left or right while other vehicles going straight ahead must wait [英] （使）〔车辆〕转弯〔直行的车辆必须等待〕 I,T | BrE
9 to remove something, using a filter 〔用过滤器〕滤除，滤掉
The pump filters out mud.
这台泵滤掉泥浆。
10 to remove words, information etc that you do not need or want 滤除〔不需要的文字、信息等〕
Net users can filter out unwanted emails with software.
网络用户可以使用软件过滤掉不需要的电子邮件。