Definition

1. Noun:

   • A wide, continuous movement or curve: A long, smooth, curving movement or line.
   • A complete victory or winning of all parts of something: Winning all the games in a series or all the tricks in a card game.
   • A person whose job is to clean soot from chimneys: A chimney sweep.
   • The act of cleaning an area with a broom: The action of sweeping.
   • A wide, unbroken extent or range: A broad, continuous area or scope.

2. Verb:

   • To clean a surface using a broom or brush: To remove dirt or debris from a floor, path, etc., by moving a broom across it.
   • To move or extend over a wide area in a smooth, continuous motion: To move swiftly and smoothly across or through an area.
   • To win all the parts or prizes of a contest decisively: To win everything in a competition or election.
   • To remove or carry away forcefully and suddenly: To push, carry, or pull something away with strong force.
   • To pass over something lightly and quickly: To move over or across a surface lightly, like a glance or a searchlight.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • With a wide sweep of his arm, he pointed to the horizon.
  • The team completed a four-game sweep of their rivals.
  • The sweep of the prairie was breathtaking.
  • The sweep came to clean the fireplace.

• Verb:

  • Please sweep the kitchen floor after dinner.
  • Her eyes swept across the room, looking for a familiar face.
  • The new political party swept the election, winning every seat.
  • The floodwaters swept the car off the road.
  • The searchlight swept the dark prison yard.

Advanced Usage

• "to make a clean sweep": To remove all unwanted things or people completely, or to win everything.

  • The new manager made a clean sweep of the old staff.
  • The team made a clean sweep, winning the championship series 4-0.

• "sweep (someone) off their feet": To cause someone to fall suddenly and completely in love.

  • He completely swept her off her feet with his romantic gestures.

• "sweep (something) under the rug/carpet": To hide a problem or mistake in the hope it will be forgotten.

  • The company tried to sweep the scandal under the rug.

Variants and Related Words

• Sweeper (n): A person or device that sweeps (e.g., a street sweeper, a soccer player in a defensive position).
• Sweeping (adj): Extensive, wide-ranging, or affecting many things (e.g., ).
• Sweepstakes (n): A form of gambling, especially on horse races, where all the money staked is paid to the winner(s).

Synonyms

• Verb: Clean, brush, glide, sail, race, triumph (in), engulf.
• Noun: Arc, curve, expanse, range, victory, cleaner.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Sweep away: To remove or destroy something completely, often by force.

  • The storm swept away several beach houses.

• Sweep up: To clean an area by sweeping, often gathering things into a pile; to pick up or collect something.

  • Could you sweep up the broken glass?
  • She was swept up in the excitement of the festival.

• Sweep through: To move through an area or group quickly and often forcefully; to become popular or successful very quickly in a place.

  • A cold wave swept through the country.
  • A new fashion trend swept through the school.

Related Idioms

• A broad sweep: A wide or general view or description that does not include details.

  • The lecture gave us a broad sweep of European history.

• Sweep the board: To win all the prizes or every part of a competition.

  • The young pianist swept the board at the international competition.

Noun

1. a movement in an arc
   • a sweep of his arm
2. (American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running around the end of the line
3. a long oar used in an open boat
4. winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge
5. someone who cleans soot from chimneys
6. a wide scope
   • the sweep of the plains

Verb

1. make a big sweeping gesture or movement
2. cover the entire range of
3. win an overwhelming victory in or on
   • Her new show dog swept all championships
4. clean by sweeping
   • Please sweep the floor
5. 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
6. 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
7. sweep with a broom or as if with a broom
   • Sweep the crumbs off the table
   • Sweep under the bed
8. 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 across or over
   • Her long skirt brushed the floor
   • A gasp swept cross the audience