Definitions for Sweep
swipSweep

Princeton's WordNet(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. sweep, expanse(noun)

   a wide scope

   "the sweep of the plains"

2. chimneysweeper, chimneysweep, sweep(noun)

   someone who cleans soot from chimneys

3. slam, sweep(noun)

   winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge

4. sweep, sweep oar(noun)

   a long oar used in an open boat

5. end run, sweep(noun)

   (American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running around the end of the line

6. sweep(verb)

   a movement in an arc

   "a sweep of his arm"

7. brush, sweep(verb)

   sweep across or over

   "Her long skirt brushed the floor"; "A gasp swept cross the audience"

8. sweep, sail(verb)

   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"

9. sweep, broom(verb)

   sweep with a broom or as if with a broom

   "Sweep the crumbs off the table"; "Sweep under the bed"

10. embroil, tangle, sweep, sweep up, drag, drag in(verb)

    force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action

    "They were swept up by the events"; "don't drag me into this business"

11. cross, traverse, span, sweep(verb)

    to cover or extend over an area or time period

    "Rivers traverse the valley floor", "The parking lot spans 3 acres"; "The novel spans three centuries"

12. sweep(verb)

    clean by sweeping

    "Please sweep the floor"

13. sweep(verb)

    win an overwhelming victory in or on

    "Her new show dog swept all championships"

14. sweep(verb)

    cover the entire range of

15. swing, sweep, swing out(verb)

    make a big sweeping gesture or movement

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. sweep(Noun)

   The person who steers a dragon boat.

   Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

2. sweep(Noun)

   A person who stands at the stern of a surf boat, steering with a steering oar and commanding the crew.

   Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

3. sweep(Noun)

   A chimney sweep.

   Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

4. sweep(Noun)

   A search (typically for bugs [electronic listening devices]).

   Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

5. sweep(Noun)

   A batsman's shot, played from a kneeling position with a swinging horizontal bat.

   Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

6. sweep(Noun)

   A lottery, usually on the results of a sporting event, where players win if their randomly chosen team wins.

   Jim will win fifty dollars in the office sweep if Japan wins the World Cup.

   Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

7. sweep(Noun)

   A flow of water parallel to shore caused by wave action at an ocean beach or at a point or headland.

   Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

8. sweep(Noun)

   A single action of sweeping.

   Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

9. sweep(Verb)

   To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush.

   Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

10. sweep(Verb)

    To move through an (horizontal) arc or similar long stroke.

    Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

11. sweep(Verb)

    To search (a place) methodically.

    Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

12. sweep(Verb)

    To travel quickly.

    Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

13. sweep(Verb)

    To play a sweep shot.

    Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

14. sweep(Verb)

    To brush the ice in front of a moving stone, causing it to travel farther and to curl less.

    Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

15. sweep(Verb)

    To move something in a particular motion, as a broom

    Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

16. sweep(Verb)

    To win (a series) without drawing or losing any of the games in that series.

    Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

17. sweep(Verb)

    To defeat (a team) in a series without drawing or losing any of the games in that series.

    Etymology: From swapan; see also swoop.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Sweep(verb)

   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

   Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

2. Sweep(verb)

   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

   Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

3. Sweep(verb)

   to brush against or over; to rub lightly along

   Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

4. Sweep(verb)

   to carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion; hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion

   Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

5. Sweep(verb)

   to strike with a long stroke

   Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

6. Sweep(verb)

   to draw or drag something over; as, to sweep the bottom of a river with a net

   Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

7. Sweep(verb)

   to pass over, or traverse, with the eye or with an instrument of observation; as, to sweep the heavens with a telescope

   Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

8. Sweep(verb)

   to clean rooms, yards, etc., or to clear away dust, dirt, litter, etc., with a broom, brush, or the like

   Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

9. Sweep(verb)

   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

   Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

10. Sweep(verb)

    to pass over anything comprehensively; to range through with rapidity; as, his eye sweeps through space

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

11. Sweep(noun)

    the act of sweeping

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

12. Sweep(noun)

    the compass or range of a stroke; as, a long sweep

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

13. Sweep(noun)

    the compass of any turning body or of any motion; as, the sweep of a door; the sweep of the eye

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

14. Sweep(noun)

    the compass of anything flowing or brushing; as, the flood carried away everything within its sweep

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

15. Sweep(noun)

    violent and general destruction; as, the sweep of an epidemic disease

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

16. Sweep(noun)

    direction and extent of any motion not rectlinear; as, the sweep of a compass

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

17. Sweep(noun)

    direction or departure of a curve, a road, an arch, or the like, away from a rectlinear line

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

18. Sweep(noun)

    one who sweeps; a sweeper; specifically, a chimney sweeper

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

19. Sweep(noun)

    a movable templet for making molds, in loam molding

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

20. Sweep(noun)

    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

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

21. Sweep(noun)

    a large oar used in small vessels, partly to propel them and partly to steer them

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

22. Sweep(noun)

    the almond furnace

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

23. Sweep(noun)

    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

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

24. Sweep(noun)

    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 (thirteen) in a hand; a slam

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

25. Sweep(noun)

    the sweeping of workshops where precious metals are worked, containing filings, etc

    Etymology: [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swpan. See Swoop, v. i.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Sweep

   Sweep is a series of young adult fantasy novels written by Cate Tiernan, the first of which, Book of Shadows, was published in 2001. The series follows a teenage girl, Morgan Rowlands, who discovers she is the descendant of a long line of witches, and possesses powerful magick of her own.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Sweep

   swēp, v.t. to wipe or rub over with a brush or broom: to carry along or off by a long brushing stroke or force: to destroy or carry off at a stroke: to strike with a long stroke: to carry with pomp: to drag over: to pass rapidly over.—v.i. to pass swiftly and forcibly: to pass with pomp: to move with a long reach:—pa.t. and pa.p. swept.—n. act of sweeping: extent of a stroke, or of anything turning or in motion: prevalence, range: direction of a curve: the act of bringing into a general movement: rapid or wide-spread destructiveness: a curved approach before a building: a chimney-sweeper: (pl.) oars of great length used during a calm or in still water, either to assist the rudder or to propel the vessel.—n. Sweep′er.—adv. Sweep′ingly, in a sweeping manner.—n. Sweep′ingness.—n.pl. Sweep′ings, things collected by sweeping: rubbish.—ns. Sweep′-net, a net that embraces a large compass: Sweep′stake (Shak.), one who wins all—usually in pl. Sweep′stakes, a method of gambling by which several persons contribute each certain stakes, the whole of which fall to one in case of a certain event happening; Sweep′-wash′er, one who scrapes a little gold or silver from the sweepings of refineries.—adj. Sweep′y, swaying, sweeping, curving. [A.S. swápan; Ger. schweifen, Cf. Swoop.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. sweep

   The trending or inclination of a coast to a crescent. Also, that part of the mould of a ship, where she begins to compass in the rung-heads. Also, a large kind of oar.--To sweep a coast. To sail along at a reasonable distance with a vigilant inspection.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. sweep

   To clear or brush away; as, the cannon swept everything before it.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. sweep

   To maintain or clean with a specific type of brush.

   They did sweep the floors a few times a week.

   Submitted by MaryC on February 27, 2020  

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. sweep

   Song lyrics by sweep -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by sweep on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

1. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Sweep' in Verbs Frequency: #552

Anagrams for Sweep »

1. weeps

How to pronounce Sweep?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say Sweep in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Sweep in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Sweep in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of Sweep in a Sentence

1. Mae Ngai:

   It was not humane, it was a military style of operation, [Eisenhower] sent hundreds of border patrol officers to sweep up people.

2. Martin Luther King Jr.:

   If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, "Here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well."

3. Matshona Dhliwayo:

   Today's tears sweep the road to tomorrow's blessings.

4. David Ibsen:

   Quraishi was one of the most respected of Baghdadis lieutenants. He continues to carry that respect, but he, of course, does not carry as much weight as Baghdadi, who founded the group and led its sweep throughout the Middle East, sparking the creation of ISIS provinces around the world and a propaganda machine that reaches as far as the shores of Australia and the cities of the United States, while Quraishi is viewed as a more than capable replacement, he is unlikely to overshadow Baghdadis legacy.

5. Rick DePiro:

   It's better to be a janitor in heaven Than to sit on a throne in hell It's better to sweep the streets of gold Than to have illegitimate unearned wealth. We live today in a world of much irrational entitlement and participation trophies. Earn your place, fight for your rights, stand with honor and for God's sake, keep quiet unless you actually know what you're talking about!

Images & Illustrations of Sweep

Popularity rank by frequency of use