/ English Dictionary

SWEEP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: swept   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A movement in an arc

Example:

a sweep of his arm

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("sweep" is a kind of...):

motility; motion; move; movement (a change of position that does not entail a change of location)

Derivation:

sweep (make a big sweeping gesture or movement)

sweep (move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions)

sweep (sweep across or over)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running around the end of the line

Synonyms:

end run; sweep

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("sweep" is a kind of...):

run; running; running game; running play ((American football) a play in which a player attempts to carry the ball through or past the opposing team)

Domain category:

American football; American football game (a game played by two teams of 11 players on a rectangular field 100 yards long; teams try to get possession of the ball and advance it across the opponents goal line in a series of (running or passing) plays)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A long oar used in an open boat

Synonyms:

sweep; sweep oar

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("sweep" is a kind of...):

oar (an implement used to propel or steer a boat)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A wide scope

Example:

the sweep of the plains

Synonyms:

expanse; sweep

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("sweep" is a kind of...):

ambit; compass; orbit; range; reach; scope (an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control:)

Derivation:

sweep (to cover or extend over an area or time period)

sweep (cover the entire range of)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge

Synonyms:

slam; sweep

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("sweep" is a kind of...):

triumph; victory (a successful ending of a struggle or contest)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sweep"):

grand slam (winning all of the tricks in a hand of bridge)

little slam; small slam (winning all but one of the tricks in a hand of bridge)

Holonyms ("sweep" is a part of...):

bridge (any of various card games based on whist for four players)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Someone who cleans soot from chimneys

Synonyms:

chimneysweep; chimneysweeper; sweep

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("sweep" is a kind of...):

cleaner (someone whose occupation is cleaning)

Derivation:

sweep (clean by sweeping)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Win an overwhelming victory in or on

Example:

Her new show dog swept all championships

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "sweep" is one way to...):

win (be the winner in a contest or competition; be victorious)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Sweep with a broom or as if with a broom

Example:

Sweep under the bed

Synonyms:

broom; sweep

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "sweep" is one way to...):

pass over; wipe (rub with a circular motion)

Verb group:

sweep (clean by sweeping)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

sweeper (a cleaning implement with revolving brushes that pick up dirt as the implement is pushed over a carpet)

sweeper (an employee who sweeps (floors or streets etc.))

sweeping (the act of cleaning with a broom)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Clean by sweeping

Example:

Please sweep the floor

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "sweep" is one way to...):

clean; make clean (make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from)

Verb group:

broom; sweep (sweep with a broom or as if with a broom)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

sweeping (the act of cleaning with a broom)

sweeper (an employee who sweeps (floors or streets etc.))

sweeper (a cleaning implement with revolving brushes that pick up dirt as the implement is pushed over a carpet)

sweep (someone who cleans soot from chimneys)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make a big sweeping gesture or movement

Synonyms:

sweep; swing; swing out

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "sweep" is one way to...):

handle; manage; wield (handle effectively)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

sweep (a movement in an arc)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions

Example:

The searchlights swept across the sky

Synonyms:

sail; sweep

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "sweep" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Verb group:

brush; sweep (sweep across or over)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sweep"):

swan (sweep majestically)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Also:

sweep through (succeed at easily)

Derivation:

sweep (a movement in an arc)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Sweep across or over

Example:

A gasp swept cross the audience

Synonyms:

brush; sweep

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "sweep" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Verb group:

brush (touch lightly and briefly)

sail; sweep (move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

sweep (a movement in an arc)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action

Example:

don't drag me into this business

Synonyms:

drag; drag in; embroil; sweep; sweep up; tangle

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "sweep" is one way to...):

involve (engage as a participant)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Sense 8

Meaning:

To cover or extend over an area or time period

Example:

The novel spans three centuries

Synonyms:

cross; span; sweep; traverse

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "sweep" is one way to...):

continue; cover; extend (span an interval of distance, space or time)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

sweep (a wide scope)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Cover the entire range of

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "sweep" is one way to...):

continue; cover; extend (span an interval of distance, space or time)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sweep"):

rake (sweep the length of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

sweep (a wide scope)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The three vessels had been sweeping swiftly westwards, the cog still well to the front, although the galleys were slowly drawing in upon either quarter.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was a very different person, however, who swept into the room.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But since a huge storm swept across the icy moon's low latitudes in late 2010, only a few small clouds have been observed anywhere on the icy moon.

(Cassini tracks clouds developing over a Titan sea, NASA)

In tens of millions of years, this will be swept away and only an open cluster of stars will remain.

(Stellar Nursery Blooms into View, ESO)

“I will tell you the meaning of it,” cried the lady, sweeping into the room with a proud, set face.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"And another thing," he swept on.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

“Now,”—said Emma, when they were fairly beyond the sweep gates,—“now Mr. Weston, do let me know what has happened.”

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

The breeze had but little action on the coracle, and I was almost instantly swept against the bows of the HISPANIOLA.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

It seemed to have swept the streets unusually bare of passengers, besides; for Mr. Utterson thought he had never seen that part of London so deserted.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

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