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Definition of sweep verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

sweep

verb
 
 
/swiːp/
 
/swiːp/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they sweep
 
/swiːp/
 
/swiːp/
he / she / it sweeps
 
/swiːps/
 
/swiːps/
past simple swept
 
/swept/
 
/swept/
past participle swept
 
/swept/
 
/swept/
-ing form sweeping
 
/ˈswiːpɪŋ/
 
/ˈswiːpɪŋ/
Idioms Phrasal Verbs
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    with brush or hand

  1.  
     [transitive, intransitive] to clean a room, surface, etc. using a broom (= a type of brush on a long handle)
    • sweep (something) to sweep the floor
    • Chimneys should be swept regularly.
    • I don't have to sweep and mop every day.
    • sweep up Don't just stand around—grab a broom and sweep up.
    • sweep something + adj. The showroom had been emptied and swept clean.
    Topics Houses and homesb2
  2.  
     [transitive] sweep something + adv./prep. to remove something from a surface using a brush, your hand, etc.
    • She swept the crumbs into the wastebasket.
    • He swept the leaves up into a pile.
    • She swept the clothes onto the floor and invited him to sit down.
    3.

    move quickly/with force

  3. [transitive] sweep somebody/something + adv./prep. to move or push somebody/something suddenly and with a lot of force
    • The little boat was swept out to sea.
    • Their tent was swept away in the storm.
    • She let herself be swept along by the crowd.
  4. [intransitive, transitive] (of weather, fire, etc.) to move suddenly and/or with force over an area or in a particular direction
    • + adv./prep. Rain swept in through the broken windows.
    • A fire swept through the store on Tuesday night.
    • sweep something Strong winds regularly sweep the islands.
    5.

    of a person

  5. [intransitive] + adv./prep. to move quickly and/or smoothly, especially in a way that impresses or is intended to impress other people
    • Without another word she swept out of the room.
    • Two police motorcycles swept through the village.
    • A pair of golden eagles swept across the sky.
    • She swept past the photographers without a glance.
    • (figurative) He swept into the lead with an almost perfect performance.
  6. [transitive] sweep something + adv./prep. to move something, especially your hand or arm, quickly and smoothly in a particular direction
    • He rushed to greet her, sweeping his arms wide.
    Extra Examples
    • She swept a hand through her hair.
    • The traveller swept a hand toward the endless expanse of water.
    7.

    of feelings

  7. [intransitive] + adv./prep. to suddenly affect somebody strongly
    • A wave of tiredness swept over her.
    • Memories came sweeping back.
    8.

    of ideas/fashions

  8. [intransitive, transitive] to spread quickly
    • + adv./prep. Rumours of his resignation swept through the company.
    • sweep something the latest craze sweeping the nation
    9.

    look/move over area

  9. [intransitive, transitive] to move over an area, especially in order to look for something
    • + adv./prep. His eyes swept around the room.
    • The car headlights swept across the front of the building.
    • sweep something Searchlights swept the sky.
    • She swept the crowd with her binoculars.
    10.

    touch surface

  10. [transitive] sweep something to move, or move something, over a surface, touching it lightly
    • Her dress swept the ground as she walked.
    11.

    hair

  11. [transitive] sweep something + adv./prep. to brush, comb, etc. your hair in a particular direction
    • Her hair was swept back from her face.
    Topics Appearancec2

    12. of landscape

  12. [intransitive] + adv./prep. to form a long, smooth curve
    • The hotel gardens sweep down to the beach.
    13.

    in sport

  13. [transitive] sweep something (North American English) to win all the games in a series of games against another team or all the parts of a contest
    • The Blue Jays have a chance to sweep the series.
    • New Jersey swept Detroit last season.
    14. Word OriginOld English swāpan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to German schweifen ‘sweep in a curve’.
Idioms
sweep the board
  1. to win all the prizes, etc. in a competition
sweep somebody off their feet
  1. to make somebody fall suddenly and deeply in love with you
    • She’s waiting for some hero to come and sweep her off her feet.
    Topics Feelingsc2
sweep (somebody) to power
  1. to win an election by a large number of votes; to make somebody win an election with a large number of votes
sweep to victory
  1. to win a contest easily
    • Macron swept to victory in 2017.
sweep something under the carpet
(North American English also sweep something under the rug)
  1. to try to stop people from finding out about something wrong, illegal, embarrassing, etc. that has happened or that you have done
    • An earlier report, implicating the government, had been conveniently swept under the carpet.
See sweep in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee sweep in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: sweep

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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