sweep

CEFRB1

/swiːp/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To clean a surface with a brush or move across it.

  2. 02

    noun

    A wide or continuous movement.

Examples

  • I'll sweep the floor while you wash the dishes.

  • If each would sweep before the door, we should have a clean city.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
1

Also pronounced

  • /swip/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To move through a (horizontal) arc or similar long stroke.

  2. To search (a place) methodically.

  3. To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush.

More examples

In context

  • You have only to sweep the floor.

  • The offended countess swept out of the ballroom.

  • to sweep a floor, the street, or a chimney

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

She took the broom and began to blank the dirty kitchen floor.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English swepen, from Proto-West Germanic *swaipijan (unattested in Old English), from Proto-Germanic *swaipijaną. Cognate with Early Modern West Frisian swiepe (“whip, cleanse, sweep”), from Old Frisian swēpa, suepa (“sweep”). More distantly related to Old Norse sveipa (whence Swedish svepa). See also swoop.