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 a mold} or {To sweep up a mold} (Founding), to form the sand into a mold by a templet, instead of compressing it around the pattern.
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.
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.
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.
If opinion polls are correct, Quebeckers will sweep the separatists back into power in a provincial election, ending nine years of rule by the Liberal party, which wants Quebec to remain part of Canada.
Now I do. In the crystal-clear waters of Lake Lucerne, I see swans plunge their necks downwards and sweep the bottom with their bills, watch flocks of ducks use their wings to swim along under the surface as if in flight.
"I know what's in that book weeks before all the numbers are typed in." Such headquarters triumphs are small stuff, though, in the overall sweep of RJR.
The likeness lies with a presence not closely described but known and sensed, as it blinked and, shifted, alive in every broad sweep of the brush across the surface of the canvas.
And as these same manufacturers sweep into the latest low-cost countries of Thailand, Malaysia and China, Molex's plants await them.
Ivanhoe alleged that Gold Fields and Newmont illegally "locked out" the possibility of an Ivanhoe tender offer by collaborating in a massive "Street sweep" for Newmont stock early last week.
U.S. military engineers are replacing combat soldiers, and Panamanian officials are trying to sweep away the vestiges of Gen.
Prosecutors have rejected about half the cases brought so far following a giant weekend police sweep against gangs, saying there is not enough evidence to proceed in court.
Though there is very little here that should be dignified by the name of dance, that little has a sweep, an attack and a pleasure in precisely controlled energy that are all welcome. But so what?
Authorities arrested about two dozen people during a weekend anti-drug sweep that netted the alleged leadership of a group that controlled much of the cocaine market in the nation's capital.
Iranian authorities arrested 792 drug pushers and addicts in a two-day nationwide narcotics sweep, state-run Tehran Radio reported Thursday.
Although some seasoned, well-connected Wall Streeters have already landed new high-paying positions at brokerage houses or banks eager to sweep up proven talent, many others are floundering.
We've got 12 songs ready for the next album." U2, Miss Houston, Los Lobos and Michael Jackson each had four nominations this year, but none threatened threatened to equal Jackson's eight-award sweep in the 1984 ceremony.
" The Department of Labor conducted a one-day sweep of businesses in June this year, uncovering 3,800 cases of child labor violation. Most of the cases involved youngsters working more hours than the laws allow, but many were using dangerous machinery.
The final tally reflected Bush's 40-state sweep in the November election.
"Sea of Love," "Uncle Buck" and "Parenthood" gave Universal Studios a sweep of the top three spots at the nation's box offices last weekend.
Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau warned of floods at major river banks and coastal areas later today, when Sarah was expected to sweep across the island.
An overnight anti-gang sweep by a police task force resulted in the arrests of 117 people and the seizure of more than 411 grams of cocaine, authorities said Saturday.
Mr. Bertolucci allows the sweep of 60 years of Chinese history to unfold around Pu Yi as background noise to his peculiar, poignant role in the emergence of modern China.
The exiled students watch wistfully as movements of the people sweep Eastern Europe's Communist parties from power _ and China's continuing crackdown from newspaper front pages.
A sweep of social clubs was conducted between midnight and 7 a.m., police said.
George B. Rathmann, chairman and chief executive officer of Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, Calif., said Amgen will consider getting a license but cautioned the patent's sweep is wide open to interpretation.
This would include plans to sweep away more than 150 restrictions on the release of information.
"My anticipation is that the nominations will give us a good boost, though not an enormous one, and it will last 10 days to two weeks." "Dances with Wolves" made an impressive sweep of the Golden Globe awards.
Gerald Jaffe, NBC's vice president for research projects, said he was so impressed that NBC had won five nights a week during the May sweep, he had his staff check to see when a network last accomplished that feat.
The decision to sweep through the areas and make arrests came after sniping incidents increased, police said.
Gunda Niemann won the women's 5,000-meter race, leading a German sweep, for her second gold medal of the Games.
H. Norman Schwarzkopf testified before Congress that one of his most pressing needs was for more big, off-road trucks to supply a swift-moving armored sweep.
So eyes that once took this species for granted now look up at a nearly empty sky and marvel at the physical and intellectual wing sweep of his work.
Projects in the works at Engelberger's Transitions Research Corp. of Danbury, Conn., include development of robots that will sweep or scrub floors in airports or supermarkets and fetch drugs for pharmacists in mail-order warehouses.