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To brush off or away, typically dirt or litter
“The heaviest burdens lay on city work crews, who had to sweep dirt from the gutters and municipal swimming pools.”
To arc or turn away from a straight line or course
“Mountains sweep across the horizon to the south and east, ranging far and wide above the trees.”
To move or proceed with a given movement or momentum
“Occasionally, a breeze would sweep across the knoll, suggesting movement when there was none.”
To move (through an area or place) swiftly
“In the meantime, another fresh army would sweep down the Belgian coast behind the Allies' flank.”
To spread (through an area or place) widely
“A fire would sweep through the forest, taking out large numbers of trees and shrubs.”
To engulf or affect (an area or place) swiftly and widely
“The stage had been set for the rise of big-band swing that would sweep the nation in the mid-1930s.”
To move or push (someone or something) with great force
“He allowed the crowd to sweep him along in their stampede, helpless to do anything else, and was carried outside.”
To search or scan for something
“Snake then carefully avoids the search tower spotlights which sweep the area under the beady eye of the armed guards.”
To move in a proud and majestic fashion
“She would sweep into the room like a queen with a rustle of silk petticoats, and immediately backs were straightened, heads went up, and we tried to stand like guardsmen on parade.”
To look over or scrutinize, especially a wide area
To touch or come into contact with lightly and typically fleetingly
To move or be moved in a particular direction by water
To push roughly
To wave (something) about, especially to attract attention
To hit repeatedly with small missiles or gunshot
To aimlessly move or drift from place to place
To move somewhere in a slow and steady way
(especially of waves) To sweep or splash in a particular direction
To remove or clear a block or obstruction from
(often "triumph over") To prevail over rivals, challenges, or difficulties
Move through the water in a boat using a paddle or paddles
The range or scope of something
“By turning your head, you seemed to take in the whole sweep of Irish history, from the Vikings to the plantation.”
A long, typically curved stretch of road, river, or land
“Mobutu stared out over the chocolate-brown sweep of the Congo river and remembered his father.”
A comprehensive search or survey of a place or area
“Police officers conducted a sweep of the area hoping to apprehend the attackers, but to no avail.”
A long, swift curving movement
“She couldn't resist playing along, dipping into a deep curtsey and giving a wide sweep of her hand.”
A physically curved part of a path or structure
“A tree-lined driveway ends in a sweep in front of Old Hall.”
A lottery in which the stakes of the participants make up the prize
“There's a lot on the line in the office sweep, not the least of which is bragging rights.”
A move or journey through an area
“The Marines ended their sweep through the Demilitarized Zone on the eve of the truce, but quickly thrust back into it when a battalion of Marines to the south was hit by fire.”
The act or process of analyzing or assessing information
“Both of our approaches require only one sweep of the data and generate models that compress the data up to 94%.”
A rapid and plentiful stream or burst of something
The view from a given vantage point
The breaking of waves on a shore
A short pole with a broad blade at one or both ends, used without a rowlock to move a small boat or canoe through the water
An amount of time or a particular time interval during which something happens
An act of sweeping or clearing away with a brush or with one's hand
A sudden quick movement
Banded damselfish
Scope for freedom of action or thought
An instance of winning or having success
A range of different things
Swoop or drop
A raid or search conducted on a premise, typically due to illegal activity
Chimney cleaner
A curved or circular path or movement
A boat's course relative to the direction of the wind
An easy victory or achievement
A quantity, amount or extent, especially as a measurement
The act or instance of defeating
Related Words and Phrases
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