- sweep
- verb (sweeps, sweeping; past and past participle swept)1》 clean (an area) by brushing away dirt or litter.↘move or remove by brushing.↘move or push with great force.↘(sweep someone/thing away/aside) remove or abolish someone or something swiftly and suddenly.2》 search or survey (an area) for something.↘cover (an entire area) with a gun.3》 move or traverse swiftly and smoothly.↘affect (a place) swiftly and widely: violence swept the country.↘extend continuously, especially in an arc or curve.↘Cricket hit to the leg side by bringing the bat across the body from a half-kneeling position.4》 N. Amer. be victorious in (a series of games).noun1》 an act of sweeping.↘a chimney sweep.2》 a long, swift, curving movement.↘Electronics the movement of a beam across the screen of a cathode ray tube.3》 a long, typically curved stretch of road, river, etc.4》 the range or scope of something.5》 informal a sweepstake.6》 N. Amer. an instance of winning every event, award, or place in a contest.7》 a long heavy oar.8》 a sail of a windmill.9》 a long pole mounted as a lever for raising buckets from a well.Phrasessweep the board win every event or prize in a contest.OriginOE swāpan, of Gmc origin.
English new terms dictionary. 2014.