Lexic.us

Definition of Sweep

1. Noun. A wide scope. "The sweep of the plains"

2. Verb. Sweep across or over. "A gasp swept cross the audience"

3. Noun. Someone who cleans soot from chimneys.

4. Verb. Move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions. "The searchlights swept across the sky"

5. Noun. Winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge.

6. Verb. Sweep with a broom or as if with a broom. "Sweep under the bed"

7. Noun. A long oar used in an open boat.

8. Verb. Force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action. "Don't drag me into this business"

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

10. Verb. To cover or extend over an area or time period. "The novel spans three centuries"

11. Noun. A movement in an arc. "A sweep of his arm"

12. Verb. Clean by sweeping. "Please sweep the floor"

13. Verb. Win an overwhelming victory in or on. "Her new show dog swept all championships"

14. Verb. Cover the entire range of.

15. Verb. Make a big sweeping gesture or movement.

Definition of Sweep

1. v. t. 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.

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

3. n. The act of sweeping.

Definition of Sweep

1. Verb. (transitive) To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush. ¹

2. Verb. (intransitive) To move through an (horizontal) arc or similar long stroke. ¹

3. Verb. (transitive) To search (a place) methodically. ¹

4. Verb. (intransitive figuratively) To travel quickly. ¹

5. Verb. (cricket) To play a sweep shot. ¹

6. Verb. (curling) To brush the ice in front of a moving stone, causing it to travel farther and to curl less. ¹

7. Verb. (transitive ergative) To move something in a particular motion, as a broom ¹

8. Verb. (sports transitive) To win (a series) without drawing or losing any of the games in that series. ¹

9. Verb. (sports transitive) To defeat (a team) in a series without drawing or losing any of the games in that series. ¹

10. Noun. The person who steers a dragon boat. ¹

11. Noun. A person who stands at the stern of a surf boat, steering with a steering oar and commanding the crew. ¹

12. Noun. A chimney sweep. ¹

13. Noun. A search (typically for bugs [electronic listening devices]). ¹

14. Noun. (cricket) A batsman's shot, played from a kneeling position with a swinging horizontal bat. ¹

15. Noun. A lottery, usually on the results of a sporting event, where players win if their randomly chosen team wins. ¹

16. Noun. A flow of water parallel to shore caused by wave action at an ocean beach or at a point or headland. ¹

17. Noun. A single action of sweeping. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Sweep

1. to clear or clean with a brush or broom [v SWEPT, SWEEPING, SWEEPS]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Sweep

swedes swedge swedged swedish turnip swee sweed sweeing sweel sweeled sweeling

sweels sweeney sweeneys sweenies sweeny sweep-second sweep aside sweep away sweep hand sweep oar

sweep off sweep out sweep over sweep someone off their feet sweep something under the carpet sweep something under the rug sweep the board sweep through sweep under the rug

Literary usage of Sweep

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare (1912)
"^Shylock is here beside himself with anger and indignation. 3With a sweep of the hand the Doctor hands him back the bond. ..."

2. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (1912)
"... all cross and exeunt Ri; a great crowd shouting, trumpets braying, all sweep after ... sweep ..."

3. Journal of the American Chemical Society by American Chemical Society (1879)
"The initial potential sweep exhibits two oxidation waves, one at ca. ... At fast sweep rates (>0.2 V/sec) a reduction wave appears in the cyclic ..."

4. History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850 by James Ford Rhodes (1919)
"... fourth-class postmasters had been made, so that the Civil Service Record said with truth, "This is something of a sweep though far from a clean sweep. ..."

5. Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana (1897)
"and sometimes, in one sweep of an instant, described an arc of more than forty-five degrees, bringing up with a sudden jerk, which made it necessary to hold ..."

6. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare (1912)
"^Shylock is here beside himself with anger and indignation. 3With a sweep of the hand the Doctor hands him back the bond. ..."

7. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (1912)
"... all cross and exeunt Ri; a great crowd shouting, trumpets braying, all sweep after ... sweep ..."

8. Journal of the American Chemical Society by American Chemical Society (1879)
"The initial potential sweep exhibits two oxidation waves, one at ca. ... At fast sweep rates (>0.2 V/sec) a reduction wave appears in the cyclic ..."

9. History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850 by James Ford Rhodes (1919)
"... fourth-class postmasters had been made, so that the Civil Service Record said with truth, "This is something of a sweep though far from a clean sweep. ..."

10. Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana (1897)
"and sometimes, in one sweep of an instant, described an arc of more than forty-five degrees, bringing up with a sudden jerk, which made it necessary to hold ..."

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