51³Ô¹Ï

Advertisement

View synonyms for

sweep

1

[sweep]

verb (used with object)

swept, sweeping 
  1. to move or remove (dust, dirt, etc.) with or as if with a broom, brush, or the like.

  2. to clear or clean (a floor, room, chimney, etc.) of dirt, litter, or the like, by means of a broom or brush.

  3. to drive or carry by some steady force, as of a wind or wave.

    The wind swept the snow into drifts.

  4. to pass or draw (something) over a surface with a continuous stroke or movement.

    The painter swept a brush over his canvas.

  5. to make (a path, opening, etc.) by clearing a space with or as if with a broom.

  6. to clear (a surface, place, etc.) of something on or in it (often followed byof ).

    to sweep a sea of enemy ships.

  7. to pass over (a surface, region, etc.) with a steady, driving movement or unimpeded course, as winds, floods, etc..

    sandstorms sweeping the plains.

  8. to search (an area or building) thoroughly.

    Soldiers swept the town, looking for deserters.

  9. to pass the gaze, eyes, etc., over (a region, area, etc.).

    His eyes swept the countryside.

  10. to direct (the eyes, gaze, etc.) over a region, surface, or the like.

    He swept his eyes over the countryside.

  11. to examine electronically, as to search for a hidden listening device.

  12. to win a complete or overwhelming victory in (a contest).

    Johnson swept the presidential election of 1964.

  13. to win (every game, round, hand, etc., of a series of contests).

    The Yankees swept the three-game series.

  14. Music.Ìý

    1. to pass the fingers or bow over (a musical instrument, its strings or keys, etc.), as in playing.

    2. to bring forth (music) thus.



verb (used without object)

swept, sweeping 
  1. to sweep a floor, room, etc., with or as if with a broom.

    The new broom sweeps well.

  2. to move steadily and strongly or swiftly (usually followed by along, down, by, into, etc.).

  3. to move or pass in a swift but stately manner.

    Proudly, she swept from the room.

  4. to move, pass, or extend in a continuous course, especially a wide curve or circuit.

    His glance swept around the room.

  5. to conduct an underwater search by towing a drag under the surface of the water.

  6. Aeronautics.Ìý(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

  1. 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.

  2. the steady, driving motion or swift onward course of something moving with force or without interruption.

    the sweep of the wind and the waves.

  3. an examination by electronic detection devices of a room or building to determine the presence of hidden listening devices.

  4. a swinging or curving movement or stroke, as of the arm, a weapon, an oar, etc.

  5. reach, range, or compass, as of something sweeping about.

    the sweep of a road about a marsh.

  6. a continuous extent or stretch.

    a broad sweep of sand.

  7. a curving, especially widely or gently curving, line, form, part, or mass.

  8. matter removed or gathered by sweeping.

  9. Also called well sweep.Ìýa leverlike device for raising or lowering a bucket in a well.

  10. a large oar used in small vessels, sometimes to assist the rudder or to propel the craft.

  11. an overwhelming victory in a contest.

  12. a winning of all the games, rounds, hands, prizes, etc., in a contest by one contestant.

  13. Football.Ìýend run.

  14. one of the sails of a windmill.

  15. Agriculture.Ìýany of the detachable triangular blades on a cultivator.

  16. Chiefly British.Ìýa person employed to clean by sweeping, especially a chimney sweeper.

  17. Cards.Ìý

    1. Whist.Ìýthe winning of all the tricks in a hand.

    2. Casino.Ìýa pairing or combining, and hence taking, of all the cards on the board.

  18. Physics.Ìýan irreversible process tending towards thermal equilibrium.

sweep

2

[sweep]

noun

Slang.
  1. a sweepstakes.

sweep

/ ²õ·É¾±Ë±è /

verb

  1. to clean or clear (a space, chimney, etc) with a brush, broom, etc

  2. (often foll by up) to remove or collect (dirt, rubbish, etc) with a brush, broom, etc

  3. to move in a smooth or continuous manner, esp quickly or forcibly

    cars swept along the road

  4. to move in a proud or dignified fashion

    she swept past

  5. to spread or pass rapidly across, through, or along (a region, area, etc)

    the news swept through the town

  6. (tr) to direct (the gaze, line of fire, etc) over; survey

  7. (tr; foll by away or off) to overwhelm emotionally

    she was swept away by his charm

  8. (tr) to brush or lightly touch (a surface, etc)

    the dress swept along the ground

  9. to convey, clear, or abolish, esp with strong or continuous movements

    the sea swept the sandcastle away

    secondary modern schools were swept away

  10. (intr) to extend gracefully or majestically, esp in a wide circle

    the plains sweep down to the sea

  11. to search (a body of water) for mines, etc, by dragging

  12. to search (a room, area, etc) electronically to detect spying devices

  13. (tr) to win overwhelmingly, esp in an election

    Labour swept the country

  14. cricket to play (a ball) with a sweep

  15. (tr) to propel (a boat) with sweeps

  16. to conceal (something, esp a problem) in the hope that it will be overlooked by others

    1. (in gambling) to win all the cards or money

    2. to win every event or prize in a contest

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act or an instance of sweeping; removal by or as if by a brush or broom

  2. a swift or steady movement, esp in an arc

    with a sweep of his arms

  3. the distance, arc, etc, through which something, such as a pendulum, moves

  4. a wide expanse or scope

    the sweep of the plains

  5. any curving line or contour

  6. cards

    1. the winning of every trick in a hand of whist

    2. the taking, by pairing, of all exposed cards in cassino

  7. short for sweepstake

  8. 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

    1. a long oar used on an open boat

    2. a person steering a surf boat with such an oar

  9. any of the sails of a windmill

  10. electronics a steady horizontal or circular movement of an electron beam across or around the fluorescent screen of a cathode-ray tube

  11. agriculture

    1. a rakelike attachment for the front of a motor vehicle for pushing hay into piles

    2. a triangular blade on a cultivator used to cut through roots below the surface of the soil

  12. a curving driveway

  13. See chimney sweep

  14. another name for swipe

    1. an overwhelming victory or success

    2. a complete change; purge

      to make a clean sweep

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Other 51³Ô¹Ï Forms

  • sweepable adjective
  • unsweepable adjective
  • ˈ²õ·É±ð±ð±è²â adjective
Discover More

51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of sweep1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English swepen (verb); compare Old English ²µ±ð²õ·Éŧ±è²¹ “sweepings,†derivative of ²õ·ÉÄå±è²¹²Ô “to sweep†or directly from obsolete English swope ); cognate with German schweifen

Origin of sweep2

By shortening
Discover More

51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of sweep1

C13 swepen; related to Old English ²õ·ÉÄå±è²¹²Ô, Old Norse sveipa; see swipe , swoop
Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idioms beginning with sweep, also see make a clean sweep; new broom sweeps clean; (sweep) off someone's feet.
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

And these community groups were hosting “Know Your Rights†workshops, organizing patrols to alert residents of immigration sweeps and preparing, as much as they could, to resist.

From

A week of immigration sweeps across Southern California has left some communities eerily quiet, with some residents saying they are avoiding going out and attending to routine business out of fear of being stopped.

From

Aggressive sweeps by ICE were met with fierce resistance by protesters and others beginning June 6.

From

Opponents of the sweeps say many immigrants whose only legal violations are their immigration statuses are being swept up.

From

On Friday night, however, with many parts of Los Angeles terrorized by large-scale immigration sweeps, the county supervisor’s words evoked an entirely different range of emotions.

From

Advertisement

Related 51³Ô¹Ïs

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


sweenysweep account