Etymology : Middle English swepen; akin to Old English swApan to sweep, Old High German sweifen to wander
Pronunciation : swEp
Function : verb
Date : 14th century
1. act of cleaning with a broom; continuous curving motion or shape; continuous extent; reach; chimney sweep, person who cleans soot and debris from inside a chimney; search made to remove hidden electronic listening devices. clean or clear away with a broom; remove forcefully; brush lightly; quickly pass over or through; scan, search; achieve an overwhelming victory; move lightly and gracefully; move rapidly. sweep\sweep\ , v. t. [imp. & p. p. swept ; p. pr. & vb. n. sweeping.] [oe. swepen; akin to as. swāpan. see:
swoop, v. i.].
2. to pass a broom across (a surface) so as to remove loose dirt, dust, etc.; to brush, or rub over, with a broom for the purpose of cleaning; as, to sweep a floor, the street, or a chimney. used also figuratively. i will sweep it with the besom of destruction. xiv.
3. 2. to drive or carry along or off with a broom or a brush, or as if with a broom; to remove by, or as if by, brushing; as, to sweep dirt from a floor; the wind sweeps the snow from the hills; a freshet sweeps away a dam, timber, or rubbish; a pestilence sweeps off multitudes. the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies. xxviii.
4. i have already swept the stakes.
5. to brush against or over; to rub lightly along. their long descending train, with rubies edged and sapphires, swept the plain.
6. to carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion; hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion. and like a peacock sweep along his tail.
7. to strike with a long stroke. wake into voice each silent string, and sweep the sounding lyre.
8. (naut.) to draw or drag something over; as, to sweep the bottom of a river with a net.
9. to pass over, or traverse, with the eye or with an instrument of observation; as, to sweep the heavens with a telescope.
10. To pass a broom across so as to remove loose dirt, dust, etc.; to brush, or rub over, with a broom for the purpose of cleaning; as, to sweep a floor, the street, or a chimney.
11. Used also figuratively.
12. To drive or carry along or off with a broom or a brush, or as if with a broom; to remove by, or as if by, brushing; as, to sweep dirt from a floor; the wind sweeps the snow from the hills; a freshet sweeps away a dam, timber, or rubbish; a pestilence sweeps off multitudes.
13. To brush against or over; to rub lightly along.
14. To carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion; hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion.
15. To strike with a long stroke.
16. To draw or drag something over; as, to sweep the bottom of a river with a net.
17. To pass over, or traverse, with the eye or with an instrument of observation; as, to sweep the heavens with a telescope.
18. To clean rooms, yards, etc., or to clear away dust, dirt, litter, etc., with a broom, brush, or the like.
19. To brush swiftly over the surface of anything; to pass with switness and force, as if brushing the surface of anything; to move in a stately manner; as, the wind sweeps across the plain; a woman sweeps through a drawing- room.
20. To pass over anything comprehensively; to range through with rapidity; as, his eye sweeps through space.
21. The act of sweeping.
22. The compass or range of a stroke; as, a long sweep.
23. The compass of any turning body or of any motion; as, the sweep of a door; the sweep of the eye.
24. The compass of anything flowing or brushing; as, the flood carried away everything within its sweep.
25. Violent and general destruction; as, the sweep of an epidemic disease.
26. Direction and extent of any motion not rectlinear; as, the sweep of a compass.
27. Direction or departure of a curve, a road, an arch, or the like, away from a rectlinear line.
28. One who sweeps; a sweeper; specifically, a chimney sweeper.
29. A movable templet for making molds, in loam molding.
30. The mold of a ship when she begins to curve in at the rungheads; any part of a ship shaped in a segment of a circle.
31. A large oar used in small vessels, partly to propel them and partly to steer them.
32. The almond furnace.
33. A long pole, or piece of timber, moved on a horizontal fulcrum fixed to a tall post and used to raise and lower a bucket in a well for drawing water.
34. In the game of casino, a pairing or combining of all the cards on the board, and so removing them all; in whist, the winning of all the tricks in a hand; a slam.
35. The sweeping of workshops where precious metals are worked, containing filings, etc. a movement in an arc; "a sweep of his arm" a long oar used in an open boat a wide scope; "the sweep of the plains" win an overwhelming victory in or on; "Her new show dog swept all championships" sweep with a broom or as if with a broom; "Sweep the crumbs off the table"; "Sweep under the bed" clean by sweeping; "Please sweep the floor" move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions; "The diva swept into the room"; "Shreds of paper sailed through the air"; "The searchlights swept across the sky" cover the entire range of.
36. 1. If you sweep an area of floor or ground, you push dirt or rubbish off it using a brush with a long handle. The owner of the store was sweeping his floor when I walked in She was in the kitchen sweeping crumbs into a dust pan Norma picked up the broom and began sweeping.
37. If you sweep things off something, you push them off with a quick smooth movement of your arm. With a gesture of frustration, she swept the cards from the table `Thanks friend,' he said, while sweeping the money into his pocket.
38. If someone with long hair sweeps their hair into a particular style, they put it into that style. stylish ways of sweeping your hair off your face Her long, fine hair was swept back in a ponytail.
39. If your arm or hand sweeps in a particular direction, or if you sweep it there, it moves quickly and smoothly in that direction. His arm swept around the room Daniels swept his arm over his friend's shoulder. the long sweeping arm movements of a violinist. Sweep is also a noun. With one sweep of her hand she threw back the sheets.
40. If wind, a stormy sea, or another strong force sweeps someone or something along, it moves them quickly along. landslides that buried homes and swept cars into the sea Suddenly, she was swept along by the crowd.
41. If you are swept somewhere, you are taken there very quickly. The visitors were swept past various monuments A limousine swept her along the busy freeway to the airport.
42. If something sweeps from one place to another, it moves there extremely quickly. An icy wind swept through the streets The car swept past the gate house.
43. If events, ideas, or beliefs sweep through a place, they spread quickly through it. A flu epidemic is sweeping through Moscow. the wave of patriotism sweeping the country.
44. If someone sweeps into a place, they walk into it in a proud, confident way, often when they are angry. She swept into the conference room Scarlet with rage, she swept past her employer and stormed up the stairs The Chief turned and swept out.
45. If a person or group sweeps an election or sweeps to victory, they win the election easily. a man who's promised to make radical changes to benefit the poor has swept the election In both republics, centre-right parties swept to power.
46. If someone makes a sweep of a place, they search it, usually because they are looking for people who are hiding or for an illegal activity. Two of the soldiers swiftly began making a sweep of the premises see also:
sweeping, chimney sweep.
47. If someone sweeps something bad or wrong under the carpet, or if they sweep it under the rug, they try to prevent people from hearing about it. For a long time this problem has been swept under the carpet.
48. If you make a clean sweep of something such as a series of games or tournaments, you win them all. the first club to make a clean sweep of all three trophies.
49. to sweep the board: see:
board.