WordWeb Online

1. Move across a surface or touching a surface
   "A gasp swept cross the audience";
   - brush
    
2. Move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions
   "The diva swept into the room"; "The searchlights swept across the sky";
   - sail
    
3. Collect or move dirt by moving a brush, hand, etc. in contact with a surface
   "Sweep the crumbs off the table"; "Sweep under the bed";
   - broom
    
4. Force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action
   "They were swept up by the events";
   - embroil, tangle, sweep up, drag, drag in
    
5. To cover or extend over an area or time period
   "Rivers sweep the valley floor";
   - 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. Cover the entire range of
    
9. Make a big sweeping gesture or movement
   - swing, swing out

1. A wide scope
   "the sweep of the plains";
   - expanse
    
2. Someone who cleans soot from chimneys
   - chimneysweeper, chimneysweep
    
3. Winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge
   - slam
    
4. A long oar used in an open boat
   - sweep oar
    
5. (American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running around the end of the line
   - end run
    
6. A movement in an arc
   "a sweep of his arm"
    
7. [informal] A lottery in which the prize consists of the money paid by the participants
   - sweepstakes, sweepstake

Derived forms: swept, sweeping, sweeps

See also: pass with flying colors [US]

Type of: ambit, clean, cleaner, compass, continue, cover, drawing, extend, handle, involve, lottery, make clean, manage, motility, motion, move, movement, oar, orbit, pass over, range, reach, run, running, running game, running play, scope, triumph, victory, wield, win, wipe

Part of: bridge

Encyclopedia: Sweep