Sweep | Mean of sweep in English Dictionary

/ˈswiːp/

• Verb
• to remove (something, such as dust or dirt) from a surface with a broom or brush or with a quick movement of your hand, fingers, etc.
1. He swept the dirt off the driveway.
2. He swept the crumbs from the table.
• to remove dust, dirt, etc., from (something) with a broom or brush
1. She swept the floor.
2. I need to sweep the kitchen.
3. Are you finished sweeping the porch?
4. Have you swept yet?
• to move or pass quickly, forcefully, or smoothly
1. A storm swept across the plains.
2. Fires swept through the forest.
3. She swept to victory on a wave of popularity.

• to move or walk in a smooth, quick, and impressive way
1. She proudly swept into the room.
2. The limo swept up to the door.
• to push or move (something) quickly or forcefully
1. He swept the curtains aside.
2. She swept the books off the desk.
• to push, carry, or lift (someone or something) with great force
1. The debris was swept [=carried] out to sea by the tide.
2. She was swept toward the door by the crowd.
3. He swept her into his arms.
4. We were swept along/away by her enthusiasm.
5. The party was swept into power in the last election.
• to be felt suddenly
1. Fear swept over/through her. [=she suddenly felt afraid]
2. A feeling of relief swept over him.
• to move (your hand, arm, etc.) in a wide, curving motion
1. He swept his arm across the table.
• to pass over (all of an area or place) in a continuous motion
1. The teacher's gaze swept the classroom.
2. A searchlight swept the area.
3. Strong winds sweep the mountainside.
• to become very popular or common suddenly in (a particular place)
1. It's the latest craze sweeping the nation.
• to win everything that can be won in (something, such as an election) in an easy or impressive way
1. The opposition party swept the election.
• to win all of the games in a series of games against another team
1. They swept their rivals in a three-game series.
2. They swept the series/doubleheader.
3. They were swept in the play-offs last year.
• to brush or pull (your hair) away from your face
1. She swept her hair up/back and clipped it in place.
• to form a long, smooth curve
1. The property sweeps down to the water's edge.
• to treat (something) as not important
1. He swept aside [=brushed aside] questions about his son's arrest.
2. He swept aside [=dismissed] their objections, refusing to change his plans.
• to destroy or remove (something) completely
1. Floods swept away several houses.
2. an ancient civilization swept away by war
3. His performance today swept away any doubts about his ability to play.
• to remove dust, dirt, etc., from (something) by using a broom or brush
1. Please sweep out the room when you're done working.
• to make (someone) suddenly become very attracted to you in a romantic way
1. She says that he swept her off her feet, and they were married six months later.
• to hide (something that is illegal, embarrassing, or wrong)
1. He tried to sweep his past mistakes under the rug.
2. This is not something we can just sweep under the rug.
• to win everything that can be won in a competition
1. She swept the board at the awards ceremony.
• to remove (something, such as dust, dirt, etc.) from a surface by using a broom or brush
1. She swept up the broken glass.
• to pick up (someone or something) in one quick, continuous motion
1. She swept the baby up and carried her to the crib.
• Noun
• an act of cleaning an area with a broom or brush
1. He gave the floor/room a quick sweep. [=he swept the floor/room quickly]
• a long, smooth movement often in a wide curve
1. He brushed the crumbs away with a sweep of his hand.
• a large area of land often forming a wide curve
1. the sweep of the coastline
• everything that is included in something
1. The book attempts to cover the whole sweep of American history.
• a search for something over a large area
1. The search party made a sweep of the forest.
• an occurrence in which one team wins all the games in a series of games against another team
1. They won the series in a sweep.
2. a World Series sweep
• a time during the year when television stations try to see which shows are the most popular in order to decide how much can be charged for advertising
1. The network is trying to increase ratings during (the) sweeps.
2. sweeps week/month