(~s, ~ing, swept)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
If you ~ an area of floor or ground, you push dirt or rubbish off it using a brush with a long handle.
The owner of the store was ~ing his floor when I walked in...
She was in the kitchen ~ing crumbs into a dust pan...
Norma picked up the broom and began ~ing.
VERB: V n, V n prep/adv, V, also V n with adv
2.
If you ~ things off something, you push them off with a quick smooth movement of your arm.
With a gesture of frustration, she swept the cards from the table...
‘Thanks friend,’ he said, while ~ing the money into his pocket.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
3.
If someone with long hair ~s their hair into a particular style, they put it into that style.
...stylish ways of ~ing your hair off your face...
Her long, fine hair was swept back in a ponytail.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V-ed
4.
If your arm or hand ~s in a particular direction, or if you ~ it there, it moves quickly and smoothly in that direction.
His arm swept around the room...
Daniels swept his arm over his friend’s shoulder.
...the long ~ing arm movements of a violinist.
VERB: V prep/adv, V n prep/adv, V-ing
•
Sweep is also a noun.
With one ~ of her hand she threw back the sheets.
N-COUNT
5.
If wind, a stormy sea, or another strong force ~s someone or something along, it moves them quickly along.
...landslides that buried homes and swept cars into the sea...
Suddenly, she was swept along by the crowd.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
6.
If you are swept somewhere, you are taken there very quickly.
The visitors were swept past various monuments...
A limousine swept her along the busy freeway to the airport.
VERB: be V-ed prep/adv, V n prep/adv
7.
If something ~s from one place to another, it moves there extremely quickly. (WRITTEN)
An icy wind swept through the streets...
The car swept past the gate house.
VERB: V prep/adv, V prep/adv
8.
If events, ideas, or beliefs ~ through a place, they spread quickly through it.
A flu epidemic is ~ing through Moscow.
...the wave of patriotism ~ing the country.
VERB: V through/across n, V n
9.
If someone ~s into a place, they walk into it in a proud, confident way, often when they are angry. (WRITTEN)
She swept into the conference room...
Scarlet with rage, she swept past her employer and stormed up the stairs...
The Chief turned and swept out.
VERB: V prep/adv, V prep/adv, V prep/adv
10.
If a person or group ~s an election or ~s to victory, they win the election easily.
...a man who’s promised to make radical changes to benefit the poor has swept the election...
In both republics, centre-right parties swept to power.
VERB: V n, V to n
11.
If someone makes a ~ of a place, they search it, usually because they are looking for people who are hiding or for an illegal activity.
Two of the soldiers swiftly began making a ~ of the premises...
N-COUNT: usu sing
12.
see also ~ing , chimney ~
13.
If someone ~s something bad or wrong under the carpet, or if they ~ it under the rug, they try to prevent people from hearing about it.
For a long time this problem has been swept under the carpet.
PHRASE: V inflects
14.
If you make a clean ~ of something such as a series of games or tournaments, you win them all.
...the first club to make a clean ~ of all three trophies.
PHRASE: PHR n, usu v PHR
15.
to ~ the board: see board