sweepingn.
/ˈswiːpɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈswipɪŋ/ 1. The action of sweep v.
a. Cleansing, or removing, with or as with a broom or brush: also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > brushing or sweeping > [noun]
brushingc1460
sooping?a1500
sweeping?a1500
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > [noun] > clearing or sweeping away
voidancec1450
sweepstake1542
swoop1607
sweep1712
sweeping1825
clearing1870
a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Cock & Jasp l. 70 in Poems (1981) 6 Scraipand amang the as be auenture He fand ane iolie iasp..Wes castin furth in sweping of the hous.
1519 in Archaeologia (1834) 25 423 Pd to John ye Scott of Ryngstede, for swepyng of ye Kechyn Chymnye. ij d.
1558 in W. H. Stevenson Rec. Borough Nottingham (1889) IV. 119 The sweppyng and dressyng of the Counsell' Housse.
1591 in J. Harland House & Farm Accts. Shuttleworths (1856) I. 70 Dressinge of privies and swypinge of chimnes for onne holl yere xvjd.
1639 J. Taylor Divers Crabtree Lect. 25 Thou biddest them everie night looke to the sweeping of thy shop.
1770 J. Langhorne & W. Langhorne tr. Plutarch Lives II. 460 Fine gardens and walks that require much watering and sweeping.
1825 W. Cobbett Rural Rides in Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 26 Nov. 525 It is impossible for any just man to regret the sweeping away of this base race of Squires.
1863 C. Kingsley Water-babies i. 6 The chimneys wanted sweeping.
1867 W. W. Smyth Treat. Coal & Coal-mining 205 We must provide for the sweeping away of the products of breathing and combustion.
1877 Encycl. Brit. VI. 134/2 ‘Sweeping’ and ‘beating’ are the means mainly relied upon by the coleopterist for filling his cabinet.
1884 H. P. Spofford in Harper's Mag. Nov. 889/2 She tied up her mouth when sweeping was in progress.
1900 Daily Tel. 2 Oct. (Ware) Though the time has come when Volunteers, Yeomen, and Guards should be sent home, there is still a good deal of sweeping up to be done in the Transvaal.
b. Dragging for something under water: see sweep v. 17. Also in mine-sweeping.
ΘΚΠ
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’.
c. Astronomy: see sweep v. 21.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > cosmology > science of observation > [noun] > sweep
sweep1784
sweeping1786
zenith sweep1790
1786 W. Herschel Sci. Papers (1912) I. 260 My apparatus..being from time to time adapted to the different views I had in sweeping.
1881 J. W. Webb in Nature 10 Nov. 36/2 It [sc. a star-cluster] may be found without circles, by patient sweeping.
d. Movement over a surface, or in an extended curve: see sweep v. 22, 26.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > movement in circle or curve > [noun] > movement in curve
fetch1617
sweep1679
sweeping1830
swing1897
1830 Ld. Tennyson Character 16 He spake of virtue..And with a sweeping of the arm,..Devolved his rounded periods.
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. i. xii. 86 There is wheeling and sweeping, to slow, to quick, and double-quick time.
1853 M. Arnold Church of Brou iii. 43 In the sweeping of the wind your ear The passage of the Angels' wings will hear.
e. Rowing with sweeps: see sweep v. 12.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > [noun] > rowing > with specific type of oars
sculling1624
sweeping1831
1831 E. J. Trelawny Adventures Younger Son I. xxxii. 258 The sweeps were got out under the hot sun... With what little air there was, and with sweeping, we continued to drop the frigate.
f. Gunnery. (See quot. 1907.)
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > [noun] > type of firing
point and blank1590
false fire1602
potting1613
point-blank1614
running fire1629
pounding1633
bulleting1635
platooning1706
sharp-shot1725
street firing1727
ricochet1740
fire curtain1744
plunging fire1747
reverse fire1758
sniping1773
enfilade1796
rapid fire1800
line-firing1802
concentric1804
sharpshooting1806
rake1810
sniping fire1821
cross-firing1837
file-firing1837
curved fire1854
night firing1856
file-fire1857
volley-firing1859
cross-fire1860
joy-firing1864
snap-shooting1872
stringing1873
pot-shooting1874
indirect fire1879
sweeping1907
rapid1913
curtain of fire1916
ripple1939
ripple-firing1940
ripple fire1961
1907 H. A. Bethell Mod. Guns 172 In a wider sense sweeping means distributing fire laterally over a given front.
g. The formation of a mould with a sweep.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > [noun] > founding or casting > specific processes involved in
rapping1851
false coring1866
sweeping1902
jar ramming1909
jolt ramming1909
jolt-squeeze1931
shell-moulding1951
1902 Lockwood's Dict. Mech. Engin. (ed. 3)
2.
a. That which is swept up; matter, esp. dust or refuse, that is swept together or away.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > refuse or rubbish > [noun] > swept
swoftc1250
sweeping1480
sweepage1606
sweeping1641
singular.
plural.1489 W. Caxton tr. C. de Pisan Bk. Fayttes of Armes ii. xiii. 114 The fylthes and swepynges of the hous.1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde iii. v. f. 114 As a beasome gathereth the swepynges of a house.c1604 Acct.-bk. W. Wray in Antiquary (1896) 32 180 The markyt corne and markitte swepings was firste geven to this wakeman, 1533.1631 B. Jonson New Inne Ode, There, sweepings doe as well As the best order'd meale.1665 R. Boyle Disc. i. iii, in Occas. Refl. sig. B5v Gold-smiths and Refiners are wont..carefully to save the very sweepings of their Shops.1743 W. Ellis London & Country Brewer (ed. 2) III. 230 At every Brewing after he had strained the Sweepings of his Coolers through a Flannel-bag.1869 Ann. Rep. Commissioner Agric. 1868 286 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (40th Congr., 3rd Sess.: House of Representatives Executive Doc.) XV Sweepings of threads, formerly thrown away because the workmen could not unravel them.1884 Standard 4 Jan. 2/5 Gold leaf, known in the trade as sweepings. 1480 Cov. Leet Bk. 461 Þat þe people of the Citie carion their Donge, Ramell, & swepyng of their houses.
1541 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxf. (1880) 162 To cary all sweppyng of mens howses, and the dyrte that commythe of the sweppyng of the strettes.
1665 Orders Ld. Mayor London in D. Defoe Jrnl. Plague Year (1722) 53 That the Sweeping and Filth of Houses be daily carry'd away by the Rakers.
b. figurative (plural) of persons or things, in depreciative sense: Rubbish, riff-raff.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > refuse or rubbish > [noun] > swept
swoftc1250
sweeping1480
sweepage1606
sweeping1641
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [noun] > that which is unimportant > worthless > collectively
riff-raff1526
trumpery1531
triff-traff1547
trashery1557
dudgeon1593
lee1593
sweeping1641
lumber1649
worthless1758
trashtrie1786
tagraggery1837
flotsam1861
tat1951
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [noun] > one who is unimportant > paltry, mean, or contemptible > collectively
sweeping1641
society > society and the community > social class > the common people > low rank or condition > the lowest class > [noun] > persons of the lowest class (collectively)
chenaille1340
offal?a1425
putaylea1425
ribaldail1489
abject1526
offscouring1526
dreg1531
outsweeping1535
braggery1548
ribaldry1550
raff1557
sink1574
cattle1579
offscum1579
rabble1579
baggagery1589
scum1590
waste1592
menialty1593
baggage1603
froth1603
refuse1603
tag-rag1609
retriment1615
trasha1616
recrement1622
silts1636
garbage1648
riffle-raffle1668
raffle1670
riff-raff1678
scurf1688
mob1693
scouring1721
ribble-rabble1771
sweeping1799
clamjamphrie1816
ragabash1823
scruff1836
residuum1851
talent1882
1641 J. Milton Of Prelatical Episc. 23 Confronting..the sacred verity of Saint Paul with the offalls, and sweepings of antiquity.
1799 J. Robertson Gen. View Agric. Perth 59 The deformed spawn and jail sweepings of great towns.
1832 F. Marryat Newton Forster I. xi. 140 I wish I had fifty more of the same sort, instead of the sweepings of the gaols.
1878 W. Stubbs 17 Lect. Study Hist. (1900) viii. 182 The population [of Armenia] was composed largely of the sweepings of Asia Minor, Christian tribes which had taken refuge in the mountains.
Compounds
C1. General attributive.
sweeping-brush n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > brushing or sweeping > [noun] > brush or broom
besomc1000
bast broom1357
brush1377
broom14..
sweepc1475
duster1575
bristle brush1601
broom-besom1693
flag-broom1697
stock-brush1700
whisk1745
birch-broom1747
hair-broom1753
spry1796
corn-broomc1810
pope's head1824
whisker1825
sweeping-brusha1828
swish1844
spoke-brush1851
whisk broom1857
Turk's head1859
wisp1875
tube-brush1877
bass-broom?1881
crumb-brush1884
dusting-brush1907
palmetto brush1913
suede brush1915
swale1949
a1828 D. Wordsworth Jrnl. (1941) II. 329 Presently a Man enters with a sweeping brush, to ‘arrange’.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. xii. [Cyclops] 319 Gob, he'd adorn a sweepingbrush,..if he only had a nurse's apron on him.
sweeping-day n.
ΚΠ
1889 M. H. Foote Last Assembly Ball iii. iv Friday..was general sweeping-day at Mrs. Dansken's.
sweeping-gear n.
ΚΠ
1858 P. L. Simmonds Dict. Trade Products Street-sweeping Machine, a cart fitted with revolving brooms, or a rotatory brush and scraper, for cleansing public thoroughfares.]
1909 Daily Chron. 28 Aug. 3/4 Boats..have been sweeping for dummy mines in the Thames estuary. The boats operate in couples, dragging their sweeping gear between them.
sweeping-machine n.
ΚΠ
1899 Daily News 5 Dec. 9/2 It is a sweeping-machine, and not a cart.
sweeping process n.
ΚΠ
1896 E. L. Nichols & W. S. Franklin Elem. Physics I. xii. 200 A homogeneous substance not in a state of thermal equilibrium undergoes a sweeping process as the substance settles down to a state of thermal equilibrium. Such a process is absolutely irreversible.
C2.
sweeping-bar n. = sweep-bar n. at sweep- comb. form 1.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > cart, carriage, or wagon > parts of cart or carriage > [noun] > sway-bar or turning-plate
sway-bar1796
turning-plate1797
sweep-bar1802
sway plate1842
sweeping-bar1859
wheel-plate1859
fifth-wheel1874
1859 F. A. Griffiths Artillerist's Man. (1862) 63 Limbers have the Futchells, Splinter, or Sweeping-bar, of ash.
sweeping-net n. = sweep-net n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fishing-tackle > net > [noun] > seine-net
seinec950
seine-net1603
sweep-net1605
shackle-head1762
sweeping-net1809
hang-net1812
stop-seine1825
purse seine1838
ring net1851
scringe1851
trawl-net1855
sweep-seine1856
ground-seine1874
purse seine net1879
shore seine1884
trek-net1913
1809 W. Scott Poacher 77 The fish-spear barb'd, the sweeping net are there.
1913 Proc. Ashmolean Nat. Hist. Soc. (1914) 39 Insects were somewhat disappointingly scarce, the sweeping-net only producing the large brown Dascillus cervinus, Mantura matthewsi and Meligethes solidus.
sweeping-table n. (cf. sweep-table n. at sweep- comb. form 1), a sloping table on which ore is washed by a current of water.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > equipment for treating ores > [noun] > for washing ore > table or frame
frame1778
sleeping table1839
sweeping-table1839
sweep-table1839
bumping table1877
rag frame1904
1839 A. Ure Dict. Arts 819 In certain mines of the Hartz, tables called à balais, or sweeping tables, are employed.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1919; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
sweepingadj.
1. That sweeps with a broom: also said of the broom. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > brushing or sweeping > [adjective]
sweeping1611
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Balayeuse, a drudge, or sweeping wench.
a1693 M. Bruce Good News in Evil Times (1708) 14 When his Anger comes with the sweeping Besom of Destruction.
2.
a. Moving forcibly over a surface, etc. so as to clear it; rushing violently; carrying all before it.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > [adjective] > moving swiftly and violently
brushing1513
rushing1557
sweeping1611
rushling1632
1611 Bible (King James) Prov. xxviii. 3 A poore man that oppresseth the poore, is like a sweeping raine which leaueth no food. View more context for this quotation
1642 H. More Ψυχωδια Platonica sig. C7v A sweeping torrent that beats down the corn.
1757 T. Gray Ode II ii. ii, in Odes 17 Regardless of the sweeping Whirlwind's sway.
a1796 R. Burns Poems & Songs (1968) I. 342 She said, and vanish'd with the sweeping blast.
1822 Ld. Byron Heaven & Earth i. ii, in Liberal 1 173 The stillness of The untrodden forest, only broken by The sweeping tempest through its groaning boughs.
1830 W. Cobbett Hist. Regency & George IV iii. §142 The French were carrying on a sweeping and successful war upon the continent.
b. Moving continuously over a surface or through a wide extent; trailing, passing with stately movement.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > progressive motion > specific manner of progressive motion > [adjective] > continuously > and rapidly or forcibly
sweeping1610
sweepy1693
1610 W. Folkingham Feudigraphia i. v. 10 All sweeping or floating Waters, which flit and fleete to and fro with wind-catches.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics i, in tr. Virgil Wks. 64 Seeming Stars..shooting through the darkness, guild the Night With sweeping Glories, and long trails of Light. View more context for this quotation
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis i, in tr. Virgil Wks. 218 In length of Train descends her sweeping Gown.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis iii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 278 The Seamen ply Their sweeping Oars, the smokeing Billows fly.
1714 A. Pope Rape of Lock (new ed.) i. 6 Peers and Dukes, and all their sweeping Train.
1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel (1823) I. 85 As the sweeping swallows stop Their flights along the green.
1859 Habits Good Society (new ed.) iv. 179 For state dinners it [sc. the dress] should be long, and fresh, and sweeping.
c. transferred of movement or action.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > progressive motion > specific manner of progressive motion > [adjective] > continuously > and rapidly or forcibly > specifically of motion
sweeping1766
1766 H. Brooke Fool of Quality I. v. 167 Away the coach drove at a sweeping gallop.
1812 Sporting Mag. 39 26 Richardson was thrown by a half jirk of the hip, followed by a sweeping cross-buttock.
1814 R. Southey Roderick iii. 419 Looking round with sweeping eyes.
1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor x, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. I. 275 With a sweeping blow, he threw down from a shelf some articles of pewter and earthen ware.
1825 W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1826) I. 880 The mower begins to make his sweeping cuts.
1864 Evening Standard 26 May The sweeping action of the Derby horse exciting general admiration.
1879 J. Morley Burke i. 14 The very boldness and sweeping rapidity of Bolingbroke's prose.
1883 J. Payn Thicker than Water xxxix Mary made him a sweeping curtsey.
3. Extending through a long stretch or wide space, esp. in a curve; having a long curving outline or contour.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > curvature > [adjective]
crooked?c1225
roundc1300
ybentc1330
bentc1374
cambera1387
curvate?a1425
curve?a1425
curved?a1425
bowingc1440
crumped1480
bowed1483
bended1495
bowlanda1522
compass?1523
curbed?1541
compassed1551
compassing1576
curvated1598
orbed1598
curving1609
ridgill-backed1611
incurved1623
inflected1646
incurvate1647
curvous1661
incurvated1665
swayed1688
bending1697
circumflex1707
curval1730
sweeping1772
bendy1800
curvatureda1810
curvative1846
hooped1852
swept1903
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > largeness > [adjective] > of vast extent
broadOE
sideOE
wideOE
largec1230
spaciousa1382
unridea1425
amplea1492
well-spreadc1540
main1548
overreaching1579
widespread1582
spacious1587
wide-spreading1587
scopeful1598
vasty1598
scopious1599
vast1600
worldwide1602
spaceful1621
dimensious1632
voluminousa1661
extensive1706
sheety1748
sweeping1772
extended1779
expansive1806
wide-spreaded1820
heaven-wide1835
spanless1847
rangy1898
1772 W. Mason Eng. Garden i. 11 Where'er she [sc. Nature] takes Her horizontal march, pursue her step With sweeping train of forest.
1794 A. Radcliffe Myst. of Udolpho III. vii. 216 Emily..winding round the rock, saw, within the sweeping bay, beyond..two groups of peasants.
1821 W. Scott Kenilworth II. xiii. 336 Its stately towers rising from within a long sweeping line of outward walls.
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. III. vii. ii. 406 Her sweeping tresses snooded by glittering antique fillet.
1855 D. T. Ansted in Orr's Circle Sci.: Inorg. Nature 185 The sweeping form given to snow by winds.
1888 W. Morris Dream of J. Ball i The narrow stretch of bright green water-meadows that wind between the sweeping Wiltshire Downs.
4. figurative. Having a wide scope; extensive, comprehensive, all-inclusive; wholesale, indiscriminate.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > condition or state of being inclusive > [adjective] > inclusive or comprehensive > wholesale
wholesale1642
sweeping1771
1771 E. Burke Corr. (1844) I. 276 A general sweeping censure of my whole conduct.
1802 C. James New Mil. Dict. Sweeping, a word which is peculiarly attached to one of the sections or clauses in the Articles of War, namely, the 24th. Hence Sweeping Clause.
1822 W. Hazlitt Table-talk (1869) 2nd Ser. iii. 56 A sweeping, unqualified assertion ends all controversy.
1833 T. Hook Parson's Daughter I. v. 81 A sweeping suspicion of female virtue, and a splendid contempt for female intellect.
1858 C. Kingsley Mad World my Masters in Misc. (1860) I. ii. 125 A sweeping measure of sanitary reform.
1910 Encycl. Brit. III. 38/2 The general election..resulted in a sweeping victory for the Social Democrats.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1919; most recently modified version published online September 2021).
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n.1480
adj.1610