Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 5 syhe, 6 syghe, 6, 9 sye, 7–9 seigh, sigh, 9 sey, si’, sie. [f. SYE v.2, or a. ON. sía or MDu. sye, sie (Du. dial. zië, Flem. zie, ziig, † sijghe), corresp. to MLG. sie, sihe, sige, OHG. sîha (MHG. sîhe, G. seihe strainer, colander, filter, dregs):—OTeut. *sīχwōn. OE. had seohhe sieve:—OTeut. *siχwōn.]
1. A sieve, strainer (esp. for milk).
1468. Medulla Gram., in Promp. Parv., 79, note. Colum, a mylke syhe, or a clansynge syfe.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 335/1. A kind of Wooden Dish with a large round hole in the bottom … by Milk Women called a Seigh; and having a Cloth tied about the hole, Milk runs through it, which takes away all hairs from the Milk; this in our Country is termed Seighing of Milk.
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), I. 209. The whole mass … with the cream and new milk is run through the searce into the milk-sye.
b. Comb. (partly from SYE v.2) as sye-bowl, -clout, -dish.
1878. N. & Q., 5th Ser X. 39/1. In Worcestershire a *‘sigh-bowl’ is the name of the implement used for straining milk.
a. 1650. Bell My Wiffe, 30, in Furniv. & Hales, Percy Folio, II. 323. My cloake … is now but a *sigh clout, as you may see; It will neither hold out winde nor raine.
1562. Lanc. Wills (Chetham Soc.), II. 33. One skymmer ijd … one *syghe dyshe iijd.
1844. H. Stephens, Bk. Farm, III. 835. The milk … is passed through the milk-sieve, or sey-dish, as it is named.
2. A drop; also, a spot or stain made by a drop of liquid (cf. SYE v.2 2).
1781. J. Hutton, Tour to Caves (ed. 2), Gloss. (E.D.S.), Sye, Sie, a drop.
1838. Holloway, Prov. Dict., Sigh, a drop.
1855. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., A Sie, a slightly soiled appearance on linen or paper.
