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SWEEP
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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:
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:
Hypernyms ("sweep" is a kind of...):
cleaner (someone whose occupation is cleaning)
Derivation:
sweep (clean by sweeping)
II. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they sweep ... he / she / it sweeps
Past simple: swept
Past participle: swept
-ing form: sweeping
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:
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:
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)
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)
