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vaglio

scrutiny, sieve

noun VAH-lyoh Rare
Descriptions & Qualities Manner

Origin: From Latin vannus, 'winnowing fan', via a Vulgar Latin form.

Usage Note

Vaglio literally means a sieve used to sort grain or gravel, but its most common modern use is in the phrase passare al vaglio (to scrutinise, to examine carefully). Learners almost always encounter it in this idiomatic expression rather than in its literal agricultural sense.

Examples

"Il comitato ha passato al vaglio tutte le candidature."

Natural Translation

The committee scrutinised all the applications.

Literal Translation

The committee passed through the sieve all the applications.

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