sweep
To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush.
Other meanings
To move through a (horizontal) arc or similar long stroke.
“The wind sweeps across the plain.”
To search (a place) methodically.
Related words
- bisweptual
- ensweep
- oversweep
- resweep
- sweepable
- sweepage
- sweepback
- sweepboat
- asweep
- downsweep
- new brooms sweep clean
- sweep along
Word history
From Middle English "swepen".
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “sweep” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.