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sweep
1[sweep]
verb (used with object)
to move or remove (dust, dirt, etc.) with or as if with a broom, brush, or the like.
to clear or clean (a floor, room, chimney, etc.) of dirt, litter, or the like, by means of a broom or brush.
to drive or carry by some steady force, as of a wind or wave.
The wind swept the snow into drifts.
to pass or draw (something) over a surface with a continuous stroke or movement.
The painter swept a brush over his canvas.
to make (a path, opening, etc.) by clearing a space with or as if with a broom.
to clear (a surface, place, etc.) of something on or in it (often followed byof ).
to sweep a sea of enemy ships.
to pass over (a surface, region, etc.) with a steady, driving movement or unimpeded course, as winds, floods, etc..
sandstorms sweeping the plains.
to search (an area or building) thoroughly.
Soldiers swept the town, looking for deserters.
to pass the gaze, eyes, etc., over (a region, area, etc.).
His eyes swept the countryside.
to direct (the eyes, gaze, etc.) over a region, surface, or the like.
He swept his eyes over the countryside.
to examine electronically, as to search for a hidden listening device.
to win a complete or overwhelming victory in (a contest).
Johnson swept the presidential election of 1964.
to win (every game, round, hand, etc., of a series of contests).
The Yankees swept the three-game series.
Music.
to pass the fingers or bow over (a musical instrument, its strings or keys, etc.), as in playing.
to bring forth (music) thus.
verb (used without object)
to sweep a floor, room, etc., with or as if with a broom.
The new broom sweeps well.
to move steadily and strongly or swiftly (usually followed by along, down, by, into, etc.).
to move or pass in a swift but stately manner.
Proudly, she swept from the room.
to move, pass, or extend in a continuous course, especially a wide curve or circuit.
His glance swept around the room.
to conduct an underwater search by towing a drag under the surface of the water.
Aeronautics., (of an airfoil or its leading or trailing edge) to project from the fuselage at an angle rearward or forward of a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
noun
the act of sweeping, especially a moving, removing, clearing, etc., by or as if by the use of a broom.
to give the house a good sweep.
the steady, driving motion or swift onward course of something moving with force or without interruption.
the sweep of the wind and the waves.
an examination by electronic detection devices of a room or building to determine the presence of hidden listening devices.
a swinging or curving movement or stroke, as of the arm, a weapon, an oar, etc.
reach, range, or compass, as of something sweeping about.
the sweep of a road about a marsh.
a continuous extent or stretch.
a broad sweep of sand.
a curving, especially widely or gently curving, line, form, part, or mass.
matter removed or gathered by sweeping.
Also called well sweep. a leverlike device for raising or lowering a bucket in a well.
a large oar used in small vessels, sometimes to assist the rudder or to propel the craft.
an overwhelming victory in a contest.
a winning of all the games, rounds, hands, prizes, etc., in a contest by one contestant.
Football., end run.
one of the sails of a windmill.
Agriculture., any of the detachable triangular blades on a cultivator.
Chiefly British., a person employed to clean by sweeping, especially a chimney sweeper.
Cards.
Whist., the winning of all the tricks in a hand.
Casino., a pairing or combining, and hence taking, of all the cards on the board.
Physics., an irreversible process tending towards thermal equilibrium.
sweep
2[sweep]
noun
a sweepstakes.
sweep
/ swiːp /
verb
to clean or clear (a space, chimney, etc) with a brush, broom, etc
(often foll by up) to remove or collect (dirt, rubbish, etc) with a brush, broom, etc
to move in a smooth or continuous manner, esp quickly or forcibly
cars swept along the road
to move in a proud or dignified fashion
she swept past
to spread or pass rapidly across, through, or along (a region, area, etc)
the news swept through the town
(tr) to direct (the gaze, line of fire, etc) over; survey
(tr; foll by away or off) to overwhelm emotionally
she was swept away by his charm
(tr) to brush or lightly touch (a surface, etc)
the dress swept along the ground
to convey, clear, or abolish, esp with strong or continuous movements
the sea swept the sandcastle away
secondary modern schools were swept away
(intr) to extend gracefully or majestically, esp in a wide circle
the plains sweep down to the sea
to search (a body of water) for mines, etc, by dragging
to search (a room, area, etc) electronically to detect spying devices
(tr) to win overwhelmingly, esp in an election
Labour swept the country
cricket to play (a ball) with a sweep
(tr) to propel (a boat) with sweeps
to conceal (something, esp a problem) in the hope that it will be overlooked by others
(in gambling) to win all the cards or money
to win every event or prize in a contest
noun
the act or an instance of sweeping; removal by or as if by a brush or broom
a swift or steady movement, esp in an arc
with a sweep of his arms
the distance, arc, etc, through which something, such as a pendulum, moves
a wide expanse or scope
the sweep of the plains
any curving line or contour
cards
the winning of every trick in a hand of whist
the taking, by pairing, of all exposed cards in cassino
short for sweepstake
cricket a shot in which the ball is hit more or less square on the leg side from a half-kneeling position with the bat held nearly horizontal
a long oar used on an open boat
a person steering a surf boat with such an oar
any of the sails of a windmill
electronics a steady horizontal or circular movement of an electron beam across or around the fluorescent screen of a cathode-ray tube
agriculture
a rakelike attachment for the front of a motor vehicle for pushing hay into piles
a triangular blade on a cultivator used to cut through roots below the surface of the soil
a curving driveway
See chimney sweep
another name for swipe
an overwhelming victory or success
a complete change; purge
to make a clean sweep
Other Word Forms
- sweepy adjective
- sweepable adjective
- unsweepable adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of sweep1
Origin of sweep2
Word History and Origins
Origin of sweep1
Idioms and Phrases
- (sweep) off someone's feet
- make a clean sweep
- new broom sweeps clean
Example Sentences
But Pegula has looked back to her best during the past week and a half, sweeping aside five opponents - two of whom were two-time Grand Slam winners - in straight sets.
In what was a confounding series sweep to the Pirates at PNC Park, the Dodgers’ 5-3 defeat on Thursday was easiest to explain.
Robert F Kennedy Jr defended his leadership of US health agencies in a fiery hearing on Thursday, as lawmakers grilled him over his vaccine policies and other sweeping agency changes.
“The decision is sweeping,” he said, and could “affect everything from reading to science, to literature to history.”
Still, it’s nice to have a sweeping view of the first film’s prosthetic makeup: the Cowardly Lion’s upturned nostrils, the Scarecrow’s baggy jowls, the real horses painted purple and red with Jell-O.
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