minesweepingn.
/ˈmʌɪnˌswiːpɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈmaɪnˌswipɪŋ/ The operation of removing explosive mines which are tethered underwater or floating. Frequently attributive: that performs this operation.
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society > armed hostility > hostilities at sea > operations or manoeuvres > [noun] > mine-sweeping
minesweeping1904
mine-dragging1905
mine-hunting1964
1904 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 8 Nov. 8/3 Five Russian mine-sweeping steamers have been sunk by Japanese shells.
1905 Daily Chron. 12 Sept. 3/1 He took part in the risky game of mine~sweeping.
1915 Chambers's Jrnl. May 294/2 The operation of taking up mines is known as ‘mine-sweeping’.
1958 Times 11 Nov. 9/1 Two coastal mine-sweeping flotillas..are already under N.A.T.O. command.
1988 Defence Update Nov. 9/1 Minesweeping can be performed in two ways: either with gears that are towed by vehicles, ships or helicopters, or by autonomous vehicles.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
> as lemmas
mine-sweeping
b. Dragging for something under water: see sweep v. 17. Also in mine-sweeping.
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the world > action or operation > endeavour > searching or seeking > [noun] > types of search or searching > searching by dredging for anything under water
sweeping1704
1704 J. Harris Lexicon Technicum I Sweeping, at Sea, signifies dregging along the Ground..with a Three-fluked Grapnel, to find some Hawsar or Cable, which is slipped from an Anchor.
1775 N. D. Falck Philos. Diss. Diving Vessel 50 Out of the various methods of sweeping,..I pursued..the most eligible.
1896 Daily News 14 Nov. 6/7 Her whereabouts were discovered by ‘sweeping’.
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n.1904as lemmas