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. Clean by sweeping
   "Please sweep the floor"
    
5. To cover or extend over an area or time period
   "Rivers sweep the valley floor";
   - cross, traverse, span
    
6. Cover the entire range of
   "The survey swept all demographics"
    
7. Make a big sweeping gesture or movement
   "The dancer swept out her arms gracefully";
   - swing, swing out
    
8. 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
    
9. Win an overwhelming victory in or on
   "Her new show dog swept all championships"

1. A movement in an arc
   "a sweep of his arm"
    
2. A wide scope
   "the sweep of the plains";
   - expanse
    
3. (American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running around the end of the line
   "The running back executed a perfect sweep for a first down";
   - end run
    
4. A long oar used in an open boat
   "The rowers synchronized their strokes with the sweep oars";
   - sweep oar
    
5. Someone who cleans soot from chimneys
   "The sweep arrived early to clean the flue before winter";
   - chimneysweeper, chimneysweep
    
6. Winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge
   "The team achieved a clean sweep, dominating the entire match";
   - slam
    
7. [informal] A lottery in which the prize consists of the money paid by the participants
   "She entered the sweep hoping to win the grand prize";
   - sweepstakes, sweepstake

Derived forms: sweeps, swept, sweeping

See also: sail through

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

Part of: bridge

Encyclopedia: Sweep