{
    "term": "sweep",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "sweep",
            "heSheIt": "sweeps"
        },
        "pastSimple": "swept",
        "pastParticiple": "swept",
        "ingForm": "sweeping"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to clean a room, surface, etc. using a broom (= a type of brush on a long handle)",
            "sensetop": "sweep (something)sweep upsweep something + adj.",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to sweep the floor",
                    "contextForm": "sweep (something)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Chimneys should be swept regularly."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I don't have to sweep and mop every day."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Don't just stand around—grab a broom and sweep up.",
                    "contextForm": "sweep up"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The showroom had been emptied and swept clean.",
                    "contextForm": "sweep something + adj."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Houses and homes"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to remove something from a surface using a brush, your hand, etc.",
            "sensetop": "sweep something + adv./prep.",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She swept the crumbs into the wastebasket."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swept the leaves up into a pile."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She swept the clothes onto the floor and invited him to sit down."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to move or push somebody/something suddenly and with a lot of force",
            "sensetop": "sweep somebody/something + adv./prep.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The little boat was swept out to sea."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Their tent was swept away in the storm."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She let herself be swept along by the crowd."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to move suddenly and/or with force over an area or in a particular direction",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.sweep something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Rain swept in through the broken windows.",
                    "contextForm": "+ adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A fire swept through the store on Tuesday night."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Strong winds regularly sweep the islands.",
                    "contextForm": "sweep something"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to move quickly and/or smoothly, especially in a way that impresses or is intended to impress other people",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.",
            "labels": "(figurative)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Without another word she swept out of the room."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Two police motorcycles swept through the village."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A pair of golden eagles swept across the sky."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She swept past the photographers without a glance."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He swept into the lead with an almost perfect performance."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "to move something, especially your hand or arm, quickly and smoothly in a particular direction",
            "sensetop": "sweep something + adv./prep.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He rushed to greet her, sweeping his arms wide."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She swept a hand through her hair."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The traveller swept a hand toward the endless expanse of water."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "to suddenly affect somebody strongly",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "A wave of tiredness swept over her."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Memories came sweeping back."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "to spread quickly",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.sweep something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Rumours of his resignation swept through the company.",
                    "contextForm": "+ adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the latest craze **sweeping the nation**",
                    "contextForm": "sweep something"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 9,
            "definition": "to move over an area, especially in order to look for something",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.sweep something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "His eyes swept around the room.",
                    "contextForm": "+ adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The car headlights swept across the front of the building."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Searchlights swept the sky.",
                    "contextForm": "sweep something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She swept the crowd with her binoculars."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 10,
            "definition": "to move, or move something, over a surface, touching it lightly",
            "sensetop": "sweep something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Her dress swept the ground as she walked."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 11,
            "definition": "to brush, comb, etc. your hair in a particular direction",
            "sensetop": "sweep something + adv./prep.",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Her hair was swept back from her face."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Appearance"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 12,
            "definition": "to form a long, smooth curve",
            "sensetop": "+ adv./prep.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The hotel gardens sweep down to the beach."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 13,
            "definition": "to win all the games in a series of games against another team or all the parts of a contest",
            "sensetop": "sweep something",
            "labels": "(North American English)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The Blue Jays have a chance to sweep the series."
                },
                {
                    "text": "New Jersey swept Detroit last season."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to win all the prizes, etc. in a competition",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to make somebody fall suddenly and deeply in love with you",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She’s waiting for some hero to come and sweep her off her feet."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Feelings"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to win an election by a large number of votes; to make somebody win an election with a large number of votes",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to win a contest easily",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Macron swept to victory in 2017."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to try to stop people from finding out about something wrong, illegal, embarrassing, etc. that has happened or that you have done",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "An earlier report, implicating the government, had been conveniently swept under the carpet."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swiːp/",
                "audio": "sw/sweep/sweep__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swiːps/",
                "audio": "sw/sweep/sweeps__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swept/",
                "audio": "sw/sweep/swept__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈswiːpɪŋ/",
                "audio": "sw/sweep/sweeping__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swiːp/",
                "audio": "sw/sweep/sweep__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swiːps/",
                "audio": "sw/sweep/sweeps__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/swept/",
                "audio": "sw/sweep/swept__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈswiːpɪŋ/",
                "audio": "sw/sweep/sweeping__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English swāpan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to German schweifen ‘sweep in a curve’."
}