Sweep, sweep, v.a

to brush or rub over with brush, broom or besom; to clean by brushing; to carry with along swinging or dragging motion; to carry off with celerity and violence; to strike with a long stroke; todraw or drag over: v.n. to pa with swiftne and violence, as something broad or brushing ] the surface of anything; to pa over with celerity and force; to pa with pomp; to move with a long reach: s. the act of sweeping; the compa of a stroke; the compa of anything turning, flowing or brushing; violent and general destruction; direction of any motion not rectilinear; a pole or piece of timber moved on a fulcrum; a large oar, used in small ve els to impel them in a calm, .; a chimney-sweeper (A.S. swap an)