Define sieve

A sieve, or sifter, separates wanted elements from unwanted material. Montag recalls "trying to fill a sieve with sand," because a cousin had said that he'd give Montag a dime if he could do it. There is another connection to Montag trying to remember The Book of Ecclesiastes from the Bible but a stupid jingle from the advertisement for Denham's Dentrifice keeps interfering with his retaining the information.