sweeping (ˈswiːpɪŋ
)
Definitions
adjective
- comprehensive and wide-ranging ⇒
sweeping reforms
- indiscriminate or without reservations ⇒
sweeping statements
- decisive or overwhelming ⇒
a sweeping victory
- taking in a wide area ⇒
a sweeping glance
- driving steadily onwards, esp over a large area ⇒
a sweeping attack
Alternative Forms
ˈsweepingly adverb ˈsweepingness nounSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
indiscriminate,
blanket,
across-the-board,
wholesale,
exaggerated,
overstated,
unqualified,
overdrawn,
oversimplified,
=
wide-ranging,
global,
comprehensive,
wide,
broad,
radical,
extensive,
all-inclusive,
all-embracing,
overarching,
thoroughgoing,
sweep (swiːp)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: sweeps, sweeping, swept
- to clean or clear (a space, chimney, etc) with a brush, broom, etc
- (often foll by up) to remove or collect (dirt, rubbish, etc) with a brush, broom, etc
- to move in a smooth or continuous manner, esp quickly or forcibly ⇒
cars swept along the road
- to move in a proud or dignified fashion ⇒
she swept past
- to spread or pass rapidly across, through, or along (a region, area, etc) ⇒
the news swept through the town
- (tr) to direct (the gaze, line of fire, etc) over; survey
- (tr; foll by away or off) to overwhelm emotionally ⇒
she was swept away by his charm
- (tr) to brush or lightly touch (a surface, etc) ⇒
the dress swept along the ground
- (tr) away to convey, clear, or abolish, esp with strong or continuous movements ⇒
the sea swept the sandcastle away
secondary modern schools were swept away
- (intr) to extend gracefully or majestically, esp in a wide circle ⇒
the plains sweep down to the sea
- to search (a body of water) for mines, etc, by dragging
- to search (a room, area, etc) electronically to detect spying devices
- (tr) to win overwhelmingly, esp in an election ⇒
Labour swept the country
- cricket to play (a ball) with a sweep
- (tr) to propel (a boat) with sweeps
- See sweep something under the carpet
- See sweep the board
noun
- the act or an instance of sweeping; removal by or as if by a brush or broom
- a swift or steady movement, esp in an arc ⇒
with a sweep of his arms
- the distance, arc, etc, through which something, such as a pendulum, moves
- a wide expanse or scope ⇒
the sweep of the plains
- any curving line or contour
- cards
- the winning of every trick in a hand of whist
- the taking, by pairing, of all exposed cards in cassino
- short for sweepstake
- cricket a shot in which the ball is hit more or less square on the leg side from a half-kneeling position with the bat held nearly horizontal
- a long oar used on an open boat
- Australian a person steering a surf boat with such an oar
- any of the sails of a windmill
- electronics a steady horizontal or circular movement of an electron beam across or around the fluorescent screen of a cathode-ray tube
- agriculture
- a rakelike attachment for the front of a motor vehicle for pushing hay into piles
- a triangular blade on a cultivator used to cut through roots below the surface of the soil
- a curving driveway
- mainly British See chimney sweep
- another name for swipe (sense 6)
- See clean sweep
Alternative Forms
ˈsweepy adjectiveWord Origin
C13 swepen; related to Old English swāpan, Old Norse sveipa; see swipe, swoopSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
sail,
=
search,
check,
examination,
look,
hunt,
investigation,
going-over,
inspection,
exploration,
combing,
Usage examples
By the time I'd locked up she was back again, sweeping past me without a word towards our room.
, BETTER THAN THIS (2002)Crowning a long ridge, with sweeping views across steeply rolling fields, the hotel stands on the edge of Dartmoor.
Country Life (2005)She is part of a trend that is sweeping the pet food industry" People are more health-conscious on the part of their pets.
Globe and Mail (2003)Then he returned, but schooling had been suspended, so, at the age of 15, he got work sweeping floors.
Glasgow Herald (2001)We have a way of sweeping small sins under the carpet of our conscience without ever considering how they affect God.
, Diamonds in the Dust (1993)