Sweep
Webster's Dictionary [1]
(1): ( v. i.) 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.
(2): ( v. i.) 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.
(3): ( v. i.) To carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion; hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion.
(4): ( v. i.) To strike with a long stroke.
(5): ( v. i.) To draw or drag something over; as, to sweep the bottom of a river with a net.
(6): ( v. i.) To pass over, or traverse, with the eye or with an instrument of observation; as, to sweep the heavens with a telescope.
(7): ( v. i.) To clean rooms, yards, etc., or to clear away dust, dirt, litter, etc., with a broom, brush, or the like.
(8): ( v. i.) To brush swiftly over the surface of anything; to pass with switness and force, as if brushing the surface of anything; to move in a stately manner; as, the wind sweeps across the plain; a woman sweeps through a drawing-room.
(9): ( v. i.) To brush against or over; to rub lightly along.
(10): ( n.) The act of sweeping.
(11): ( v. i.) To pass over anything comprehensively; to range through with rapidity; as, his eye sweeps through space.
(12): ( n.) The compass of any turning body or of any motion; as, the sweep of a door; the sweep of the eye.
(13): ( n.) The compass of anything flowing or brushing; as, the flood carried away everything within its sweep.
(14): ( n.) Violent and general destruction; as, the sweep of an epidemic disease.
(15): ( n.) Direction and extent of any motion not rectlinear; as, the sweep of a compass.
(16): ( n.) Direction or departure of a curve, a road, an arch, or the like, away from a rectlinear line.
(17): ( n.) One who sweeps; a sweeper; specifically, a chimney sweeper.
(18): ( n.) A movable templet for making molds, in loam molding.
(19): ( n.) 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.
(20): ( n.) A large oar used in small vessels, partly to propel them and partly to steer them.
(21): ( n.) The almond furnace.
(22): ( n.) 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.
(23): ( n.) 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.
(24): ( n.) The sweeping of workshops where precious metals are worked, containing filings, etc.
(25): ( n.) The compass or range of a stroke; as, a long sweep.
King James Dictionary [2]
SWEEP, pret. and pp. swept.
1. To brush or rub over with a brush, broom or besom, for removing loose dirt to clean by brushing as, to sweep a chimney or a floor. When we say, to sweep a room, we mean, to sweep the floor of the room and to sweep the house, is to sweep the floors of the house. 2. To carry with a long swinging or dragging motion to carry with pomp.
And like a peacock, sweep along his tail.
3. To drive or carry along or off by a long brushing stroke or force, or by flowing on the earth. Thus the wind sweeps the snow from the tops of the hills a river sweeps away a dam, timber or rubbish a flood sweeps away a bridge or a house. Hence, 4. To drive, destroy or carry off many at a stroke, or with celerity and violence as, a pestilence sweeps off multitudes in a few days. The conflagration swept away whole streets of houses.
I have already swept the stakes.
5. To rub over.
Their long descending train,
With rubies edg'd and sapphires, swept the plain.
6. To strike with a long stroke.
Wake into voice each silent string,
And sweep the sounding lyre.
7. To draw or drag over as, to sweep the bottom of a river with a net, or with the bight of a rope, to hook an anchor.
SWEEP, To pass with swiftness and violence, as something broad or brushing the surface of any thing as a sweeping rain a sweeping flood. A fowl that flies near the surface of land or water, is said to sweep along near the surface.
1. To pass over or brush along with celerity and force as, the wind sweeps along the plain. 2. To pass with pomp as, a person sweeps along with a trail.
She sweeps it through the court with troops of ladies.
3. To move with a long reach as a sweeping stroke.
SWEEP, n. The act of sweeping.
1. The compass of a stroke as a long sweep. 2. The compass of any turning body or motion as the sweep of a door. 3. The compass of any thing flowing or brushing as, the flood carried away every thing within its sweep. 4. Violent and general destruction as the sweep of an epidemic disease. 5. Direction of any motion not rectilinear as the sweep of a compass. 6. The mold of a ship when she begins to compass in, at the rung heads also, any part of a ship shaped by the segment of a circle as a floor-sweep a back-sweep, &c. 7. Among refiners of metals, the almost-furnace. 8. Among seamen, a large oar, used to assist the rudder in turning a ship in a calm, or to increase her velocity in a chase, &c.
Sweep of the tiller, a circular frame on which the tiller traverses in large ships.
Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types [3]
Isaiah 14:23 (b) This picture describes the thorough destruction of Babylon, which was foretold by our Lord, and was completely carried out to the extermination of that great city.
Isaiah 28:17 (b) GOD will destroy all false faiths in Israel in order that the nation may be cleansed of their wickedness, and be godly. Eventually, Israel will be "holiness to the Lord."
Luke 15:8 (b) The wonderful and efficient work of the Holy Spirit is described in this passage. The lost coin represents the Christian who has drifted out of the way of the Lord, and is hiding under home life, or business life, or laziness, and is not being used among GOD's people. The Holy Spirit seeks out that person by many and various means in order to bring him back into "circulation" where he can be useful again in the service of the King.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [4]
occurs in Matthew 12:44; Luke 11:25; 15:8 .
