/ˈfɪltə(r) ||; ˈfɪltɚ/verb1 [T] to pass a liquid through a filter 过滤: Do you filter your water? 你把饮用水过滤吗？
2 [I] filter in, out, through, etc to move slowly and/or in small amounts 渗入；渗出；慢慢移动: Sunlight filtered into the room through the curtains. 阳光透过窗帘的缝隙照进房间。 (figurative 比喻) News of her illness filtered through to her friends. 她患病的消息慢慢传到她的朋友那里。
filter sb/sth out (of sth) to remove sth that you do not want from a liquid, light, etc using a special device or substance 用过滤法除去:
This chemical filters impurities out of the water. 这种化学物质能去除水里的杂质。 (figurative 比喻) This test is designed to filter out weaker candidates before the interview stage. 这次测验旨在将较差的应试者在面试阶段之前就加以剔除。