sweep

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush.
2. (intransitive) To move through a (horizontal) arc or similar long stroke.
3. (transitive) To search (a place) methodically.
4. (figuratively, intransitive) To travel quickly.
5. To play a sweep shot.
6. To brush the ice in front of a moving stone, causing it to travel farther and to curl less.
7. (ergative, transitive) To move something in a long sweeping motion, as a broom.
8. (transitive) To win (a series) without drawing or losing any of the games in that series.
9. (transitive) To defeat (a team) in a series without drawing or losing any of the games in that series.
10. To clear (a body of water or part thereof) of mines.
11. (transitive) To remove something abruptly and thoroughly.
12. To brush against or over; to rub lightly along.
13. To carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion; hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion.
14. To strike with a long stroke.
15. To row with one oar to either the port or starboard side.
16. To draw or drag something over.
17. To pass over, or traverse, with the eye or with an instrument of observation.
18. (Pennsylvania, Western) To vacuum a carpet or rug.

Noun

1. A single action of sweeping.
2. The person who steers a dragon boat.
3. A person who stands at the stern of a surf boat, steering with a steering oar and commanding the crew.
4. A chimney sweep.
5. A methodical search, typically for bugs (electronic listening devices).
6. A batsman's shot, played from a kneeling position with a swinging horizontal bat.
7. A lottery, usually on the results of a sporting event, where players win if their randomly chosen team wins.
8. A flow of water parallel to shore caused by wave action at an ocean beach or at a point or headland.
9. The degree to which an aircraft's wings are angled backwards (or, occasionally, forwards) from their attachments to the fuselage.
10. A throw or takedown that primarily uses the legs to attack an opponent's legs.
11. Violent and general destruction.
12. A movable template for making moulds, in loam moulding.
13. In the game casino, the act of capturing all face-up cards from the table.
14. The compass of any turning body or of any motion.
15. Direction or departure of a curve, a road, an arch, etc. away from a rectilinear line.
16. A large oar used in small vessels, partly to propel them and partly to steer them.
17. (attributive) A rowing style in which each rower rows with oar on either the port or starboard side.
18. (obsolete) The almond furnace.
19. 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.
20. Any of the blades of a windmill.
21. (in-plural) The sweepings of workshops where precious metals are worked, containing filings, etc.
22. Any of several sea chubs in the family Kyphosidae (subfamily Scorpidinae).
23. An expanse or a swath, a strip of land.
24. (US, form-of, singular) singular of sweeps (“viewership ratings”)

Synonyms

brush

clean

broom

🧹

dust

clear away

wipe

swing

stroke

whisk

rake

wave

👋

sweep up

shadoof

traverse

chimney sweep

chimneysweep

end run

cross

swing out

sweeping

flapping

scope

clear

embroil

range

glide

span

drag

chimneysweeper

wipe out

upsweep

whistle

brush away

sweep oar

field

slam

expanse

scan

shave

erase

rake up

clean up

move

flap

movement

drag in

tidy up

sail

tangle

destroy

Translations

balayer

barrer

varrer

fegen

kehren

spazzare

scopare

vegen

σκουπίζω

escombrar

bezemen

🧹

balayage

ramazzare

nettoyer

Pronounced as (IPA)

/swiːp/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: swepen

Cognate with Western Frisian: swiepe

Cognate with Old Frisian: swēpa

In summary

From Middle English swepen, from Proto-West Germanic *swaipijan (unattested in Old English), from Proto-Germanic *swaipijaną. Cognate with Early Modern West Frisian swiepe (“whip, cleanse, sweep”), from Old Frisian swēpa, suepa (“sweep”). More distantly related to Old Norse sveipa (whence Swedish svepa). See also swoop.