Meaning of 'sweep' (Webster Dictionary)
- The act of sweeping.
- The compass or range of a stroke; as, a long sweep.
- The compass of any turning body or of any motion; as, the
sweep of a door; the sweep of the eye.
- The compass of anything flowing or brushing; as, the flood
carried away everything within its sweep.
- Violent and general destruction; as, the sweep of an
epidemic disease.
- Direction and extent of any motion not rectlinear; as, the
sweep of a compass.
- Direction or departure of a curve, a road, an arch, or the
like, away from a rectlinear line.
- One who sweeps; a sweeper; specifically, a chimney sweeper.
- A movable templet for making molds, in loam molding.
- 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.
- A large oar used in small vessels, partly to propel them and
partly to steer them.
- The almond furnace.
- 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.
- 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.
- The sweeping of workshops where precious metals are worked,
containing filings, etc.
- 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.
- 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.
- To brush against or over; to rub lightly along.
- To carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion;
hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion.
- To strike with a long stroke.
- To draw or drag something over; as, to sweep the bottom
of a river with a net.
- To pass over, or traverse, with the eye or with an
instrument of observation; as, to sweep the heavens with a telescope.
- To clean rooms, yards, etc., or to clear away dust, dirt,
litter, etc., with a broom, brush, or the like.
- 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.
- To pass over anything comprehensively; to range through
with rapidity; as, his eye sweeps through space.
Meaning of 'sweep' (Princeton's WordNet)
Meaning (1):
- a movement in an arc
Meaning (2):
- a wide scope
Meaning (3):
- sweep across or over
Example in sentence:- A gasp swept cross the audience;
- Her long skirt brushed the floor
Meaning (4):
- force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action
Example in sentence:- don't drag me into this business;
- They were swept up by the events
Meaning (5):
- win an overwhelming victory in or on
Example in sentence:- Her new show dog swept all championships
Meaning (6):
- clean by sweeping
Meaning (7):
- to cover or extend over an area or time period
Example in sentence:- Rivers traverse the valley floor;
- The novel spans three centuries;
- The parking lot spans 3 acres
Meaning (8):
- move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions
Example in sentence:- Shreds of paper sailed through the air;
- The diva swept into the room;
- The searchlights swept across the sky
Meaning (9):
- sweep with a broom or as if with a broom
Example in sentence:- Sweep the crumbs off the table;
- Sweep under the bed
Definition
[ n.]