Meaning of sweep In English

• 0 to clean something, especially a floor by using a brush to collect the dirt into one place from which it can be removed:

  • sweep the floor

• 1 to move, especially quickly and powerfully:

  • Everyone looked up as she swept into the room.

  • The fire swept (= spread quickly) through the house.

  • The National Party swept into power (= easily won the election) with a majority of almost 200.

  • A 1970s fashion revival is sweeping Europe.

  • American minesweepers are sweeping the Arabian Sea.

  • The road sweeps down to the coast.

• 2 to remove and/or take in a particular direction, especially in a fast and powerful way:

  • A large wave swept away half the sandcastle.

  • She swept the pile of papers and books into her bag.

  • The boat was swept out to sea (= away from land) by the tide.

  • Government troops swept aside the rebel forces (= caused them to move away from the area in which they were).

• 3 to win all the parts of a competition, or to win very easily:

  • The Yankees swept the four-game series with the Blue Jays.

• 4 a movement, especially a quick, powerful one or one to search an area:

  • With a sweep (= horizontal movement) of its tail, the alligator knocked her under the water.

  • A broad sweep of flat countryside stretched to the horizon in all directions.

• 5 the act of sweeping something to clean it:

  • I've given the kitchen floor a sweep (= I have swept it).

• 6 a situation in which one player, team, etc. wins everything that is available:

  • Romania made a clean sweep of the medals.

• 7 a period of time when measurements of the number of people watching different television stations are made so that the cost of advertising on each station can be set

• 8 to clean a floor or other surface by using a brush to collect the dirt into one place from which it can be removed:

  • [ T ] She sweeps the street in front of her house.

  • [ M ] The classroom is filthy – could you sweep it out?

  • [ I ] I swept under every piece of furniture.

• 9 to remove or take something in a particular direction, esp. suddenly and with force:

  • She paused, sweeping a hair from her brow.

  • [ M ] Floodwaters were sweeping away gardens and driving residents to higher ground.

• 10 to move quickly and sometimes forcefully:

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] A stiff breeze swept across the parking lot.

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] He would sweep through the room shaking hands with everyone.

  • [ T ] Our headlights were sweeping the trees ahead.

• 11 to win all the parts of a competition:

  • New York swept their series with Vancouver, 3-0.

• 12 a large movement across an area:

  • the sweep of the clock’s hour hand

  • a police sweep

  • He is aware of the epic sweep of this project.

• 13 the fact of winning everything that is available or all parts of a competition:

  • She prevented Republicans from making a clean sweep of the election by winning the race in District 27.