4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sweep  \Sweep\,  v.  i. 
  1.  To  clean  rooms  yards,  etc.,  or  to  clear  away  dust,  dirt, 
  litter,  etc.,  with  a  broom,  brush,  or  the  like 
 
  2.  To  brush  swiftly  over  the  surface  of  anything  to  pass 
  with  switness  and  force,  as  if  brushing  the  surface  of 
  anything  to  move  in  a  stately  manner;  as  the  wind  sweeps 
  across  the  plain;  a  woman  sweeps  through  a  drawing-room. 
 
  3.  To  pass  over  anything  comprehensively;  to  range  through 
  with  rapidity;  as  his  eye  sweeps  through  space. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sweep  \Sweep\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Swept};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Sweeping}.]  [OE.  swepen;  akin  to  AS  sw[=a]pan.  See  {Swoop}, 
  v.  i.] 
  1.  To  pass  a  broom  across  (a  surface)  so  as  to  remove  loose 
  dirt,  dust,  etc.;  to  brush,  or  rub  over  with  a  broom  for 
  the  purpose  of  cleaning;  as  to  sweep  a  floor,  the  street, 
  or  a  chimney.  Used  also  figuratively. 
 
  I  will  sweep  it  with  the  besom  of  destruction. 
  --Isa.  xiv. 
  23. 
 
  2.  To  drive  or  carry  along  or  off  with  a  broom  or  a  brush,  or 
  as  if  with  a  broom;  to  remove  by  or  as  if  by  brushing; 
  as  to  sweep  dirt  from  a  floor;  the  wind  sweeps  the  snow 
  from  the  hills;  a  freshet  sweeps  away  a  dam,  timber,  or 
  rubbish;  a  pestilence  sweeps  off  multitudes. 
 
  The  hail  shall  sweep  away  the  refuge  of  lies.  --Isa. 
  xxviii.  17. 
 
  I  have  already  swept  the  stakes.  --Dryden. 
 
  3.  To  brush  against  or  over  to  rub  lightly  along 
 
  Their  long  descending  train,  With  rubies  edged  and 
  sapphires,  swept  the  plain.  --Dryden. 
 
  4.  To  carry  with  a  long,  swinging,  or  dragging  motion;  hence 
  to  carry  in  a  stately  or  proud  fashion. 
 
  And  like  a  peacock  sweep  along  his  tail.  --Shak. 
 
  5.  To  strike  with  a  long  stroke. 
 
  Wake  into  voice  each  silent  string,  And  sweep  the 
  sounding  lyre.  --Pope. 
 
  6.  (Naut.)  To  draw  or  drag  something  over  as  to  sweep  the 
  bottom  of  a  river  with  a  net. 
 
  7.  To  pass  over  or  traverse,  with  the  eye  or  with  an 
  instrument  of  observation;  as  to  sweep  the  heavens  with  a 
  telescope. 
 
  {To  sweep,  or  sweep  up},  {a  mold}  (Founding),  to  form  the 
  sand  into  a  mold  by  a  templet,  instead  of  compressing  it 
  around  the  pattern. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sweep  \Sweep\,  n. 
  1.  The  act  of  sweeping. 
 
  2.  The  compass  or  range  of  a  stroke;  as  a  long  sweep. 
 
  3.  The  compass  of  any  turning  body  or  of  any  motion;  as  the 
  sweep  of  a  door;  the  sweep  of  the  eye. 
 
  4.  The  compass  of  anything  flowing  or  brushing;  as  the  flood 
  carried  away  everything  within  its  sweep. 
 
  5.  Violent  and  general  destruction;  as  the  sweep  of  an 
  epidemic  disease. 
 
  6.  Direction  and  extent  of  any  motion  not  rectlinear;  as  the 
  sweep  of  a  compass. 
 
  7.  Direction  or  departure  of  a  curve,  a  road,  an  arch,  or  the 
  like  away  from  a  rectlinear  line 
 
  The  road  which  makes  a  small  sweep.  --Sir  W. 
  Scott. 
 
  8.  One  who  sweeps;  a  sweeper;  specifically,  a  chimney 
  sweeper. 
 
  9.  (Founding)  A  movable  templet  for  making  molds,  in  loam 
  molding. 
 
  10.  (Naut.) 
  a  The  mold  of  a  ship  when  she  begins  to  curve  in  at  the 
  rungheads;  any  part  of  a  ship  shaped  in  a  segment  of 
  a  circle. 
  b  A  large  oar  used  in  small  vessels,  partly  to  propel 
  them  and  partly  to  steer  them 
 
  11.  (Refining)  The  almond  furnace.  [Obs.] 
 
  12.  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.  [Variously  written 
  {swape},  {sweep},  {swepe},  and  {swipe}.] 
 
  13.  (Card  Playing)  In  the  game  of  casino,  a  pairing  or 
  combining  of  all  the  cards  on  the  board,  and  so  removing 
  them  all  in  whist,  the  winning  of  all  the  tricks 
  (thirteen)  in  a  hand;  a  slam. 
 
  14.  pl  The  sweeping  of  workshops  where  precious  metals  are 
  worked  containing  filings,  etc 
 
  {Sweep  net},  a  net  for  drawing  over  a  large  compass. 
 
  {Sweep  of  the  tiller}  (Naut.),  a  circular  frame  on  which  the 
  tiller  traverses. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  sweep 
  n  1:  a  wide  scope;  "the  sweep  of  the  plains"  [syn:  {expanse}] 
  2:  someone  who  cleans  soot  from  chimneys  [syn:  {chimneysweeper}, 
  {chimneysweep}] 
  3:  winning  all  or  all  but  one  of  the  tricks  in  bridge  [syn:  {slam}] 
  4:  a  long  oar  used  in  an  open  boat  [syn:  {sweep  oar}] 
  5:  (football)  an  attempt  to  advance  the  ball  by  running  around 
  the  end  of  the  line  [syn:  {end  run}] 
  6:  a  movement  in  an  arc;  "a  sweep  of  his  arm" 
  v  1:  sweep  across  or  over  "Her  long  skirt  brushed  the  floor";  "A 
  gasp  swept  cross  the  audience"  [syn:  {brush}] 
  2:  move  with  sweeping,  effortless,  gliding  motions;  "The  diva 
  swept  into  the  room";  "Shreds  of  paper  sailed  through  the 
  air";  "The  searchlights  swept  across  the  sky"  [syn:  {sail}] 
  3:  sweep  with  a  broom  or  as  if  with  a  broom;  "Sweep  the  crumbs 
  off  the  table";  "Sweep  under  the  bed"  [syn:  {broom}] 
  4:  force  into  some  kind  of  situation,  condition,  or  course  of 
  action  "They  were  swept  up  by  the  events";  "don't  drag  me 
  into  this  business"  [syn:  {embroil},  {tangle},  {sweep  up}, 
  {drag},  {drag  in}] 
  5:  to  cover  a  wide  area;  "Rivers  traverse  the  valley  floor", 
  "The  parking  lot  spans  3  acres"  [syn:  {cross},  {traverse}, 
  {span}] 
  6:  clean  by  sweeping;  "Please  sweep  the  floor" 
  7:  win  an  overwhelming  victory  in  or  on:  "Her  new  show  dog 
  swept  all  championships" 
  8:  make  a  big  sweeping  gesture  or  movement  [syn:  {swing},  {swing 
  out}] 

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