Collins English-English Dictionary

sweep [swiːp]

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

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

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

   cars swept along the road

4. 4. vb to move in a proud or dignified fashion

   she swept past

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

   the news swept through the town

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

7. 7. vt. [tr; foll by away or off] to overwhelm emotionally

   she was swept away by his charm

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

   the dress swept along the ground

9. 9. vt. [tr; often foll by away] to convey, clear, or abolish, esp with strong or continuous movements

   the sea swept the sandcastle away

   secondary modern schools were swept away

10. 10. vi. [intr] to extend gracefully or majestically, esp in a wide circle

    the plains sweep down to the sea

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

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

13. 13. vt. [tr] to win overwhelmingly, esp in an election

    Labour swept the country

14. 14. vt. [cricket] to play (a ball) with a sweep

15. 15. vt. [tr] to propel (a boat) with sweeps

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

17. 17. n a swift or steady movement, esp in an arc

    with a sweep of his arms

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

19. 19. n a wide expanse or scope

    the sweep of the plains

20. 20. n any curving line or contour

21. 21. n [cards] the winning of every trick in a hand of whist

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

23. 23. n short for sweepstake

24. 24. n [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

25. 25. n a long oar used on an open boat

26. 26. n [Austral] a person steering a surf boat with such an oar

27. 27. n any of the sails of a windmill

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

29. 29. n [agriculture] a rakelike attachment for the front of a motor vehicle for pushing hay into piles

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

31. 31. n a curving driveway

32. 32. n See chimney sweep

33. 33. n another name for swipe

34. 34. n [Etymology] C13 swepen; related to Old English swapan, Old Norse sveipa; see swipe, swoop