Sweep (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Swept (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Sweeping.] [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swāpan.
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, or sweep up, a mold
(Founding), to form the sand into a mold by a templet,
instead of compressing it around the pattern.
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, 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 (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Swept (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Sweeping.] [OE. swepen; akin to AS. swāpan.
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, or sweep up, a mold
(Founding), to form the sand into a mold by a templet,
instead of compressing it around the pattern.
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, 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.
