Sweep

swēp, v.t. to wipe or rub over with a brush or broom: to carry along or off by a long brushing stroke or force: to destroy or carry off at a stroke: to strike with a long stroke: to carry with pomp: to drag over: to pa rapidly over.— v.i. to pa swiftly and forcibly: to pa with pomp: to move with a long reach:— pa.t. and pa.p. swept.— n. act of sweeping: extent of a stroke, or of anything turning or in motion: prevalence, range: direction of a curve: the act of bringing into a general movement: rapid or wide-spread destructivene : a curved approach before a building: a chimney-sweeper: ( pl. ) oars of great length used during a calm or in still water, either to a ist the rudder or to propel the ve el.— n. Sweep′er .— adv. Sweep′ingly , in a sweeping manner.— n. Sweep′ingne .— n.pl. Sweep′ings , things collected by sweeping: rubbish.— ns. Sweep′-net , a net that embraces a large compa : Sweep′stake ( Shak. ), one who wins all—usually in pl. Sweep′stakes , a method of gambling by which several persons contribute each certain stakes, the whole of which fall to one in case of a certain event happening; Sweep′-wash′er , one who scrapes a little gold or silver from the sweepings of refineries.— adj. Sweep′y , swaying, sweeping, curving. [A.S. swápan ; Ger. schweifen , Cf. Swoop .]