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.
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I will sweep it with the besom of destruction. Isa. xiv. 23.
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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.
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The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies. Isa. xxviii. 17.
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I have already swept the stakes. Dryden.
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3. To brush against or over; to rub lightly along.
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Their long descending train,
With rubies edged and sapphires, swept the plain. Dryden.
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4. To carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion; hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion.
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And like a peacock sweep along his tail. Shak.
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5. To strike with a long stroke.
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Wake into voice each silent string,
And sweep the sounding lyre. Pope.
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6. (Naut.) To draw or drag something over; as, to sweep the bottom of a river with a net.
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7. To pass over, or traverse, with the eye or with an instrument of observation; as, to sweep the heavens with a telescope.
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To sweep a mold or To sweep up a mold (Founding), to form the sand into a mold by a templet, instead of compressing it around the pattern.
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Sweep, n. 1. The act of sweeping.
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2. The compass or range of a stroke; as, a long sweep.
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3. The compass of any turning body or of any motion; as, the sweep of a door; the sweep of the eye.
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4. The compass of anything flowing or brushing; as, the flood carried away everything within its sweep.
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5. Violent and general destruction; as, the sweep of an epidemic disease.
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6. Direction and extent of any motion not rectlinear; as, the sweep of a compass.
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7. Direction or departure of a curve, a road, an arch, or the like, away from a rectlinear line.
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The road which makes a small sweep. Sir W. Scott.
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8. One who sweeps; a sweeper; specifically, a chimney sweeper.
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9. (Founding) A movable templet for making molds, in loam molding.
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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.
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11. (Refining) The almond furnace. [Obs.]
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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.]
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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.
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14. pl. The sweeping of workshops where precious metals are worked, containing filings, etc.
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Sweep net, a net for drawing over a large compass. -- Sweep of the tiller (Naut.), a circular frame on which the tiller traverses.
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