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9 VERB If someone sweeps into a place, they walk into it in a proud, confident way, often when they are angry. [WRITTEN ] □ [V prep/adv] She swept into the conference room. □ [V prep/adv] Scarlet with rage, she swept past her employer and stormed up the stairs. □ [V prep/adv] The Chief turned and swept out.

10 VERB If a person or group sweeps an election or sweeps to victory, they win the election easily. □ [V n] …a man who's promised to make radical changes to benefit the poor has swept the election. □ [V + to ] In both republics, centre-right parties swept to power.

11 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If someone makes a sweep of a place, they search it, usually because they are looking for people who are hiding or for an illegal activity. □  Two of the soldiers swiftly began making a sweep of the premises.

12 → see also sweeping , chimney sweep

13 PHRASE If someone sweeps something bad or wrong under the carpet , or if they sweep it under the rug , they try to prevent people from hearing about it. □  For a long time this problem has been swept under the carpet.

14 PHRASE If you make a clean sweep of something such as a series of games or tournaments, you win them all. □  …the first club to make a clean sweep of all three trophies.

15to sweep the board → see board

▸  sweep up PHRASAL VERB If you sweep up rubbish or dirt, you push it together with a brush and then remove it. □ [V P n] Get a broom and sweep up that glass will you? □ [V P ] He started working for a gallery sweeping up and making the tea. [Also V n P ] SYNONYMS sweep VERB 1

brush:Using a small brush, he brushed away the fine sawdust.

wipe:I'll just wipe the table.

vacuum:I vacuumed the carpets today. COLLOCATIONS sweep NOUN 4

adjective + sweep : broad, grand, majestic, panoramic; downward

sweep|er /swiː pə ^r / (sweepers ) N‑COUNT In football, a sweeper is a player whose position is behind the main defenders but in front of the goalkeeper.

sweep|ing /swiː p I ŋ/

1 ADJ [ADJ n] A sweeping curve is a long wide curve. □  …the long sweeping curve of Rio's Guanabara Bay.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone makes a sweeping statement or generalization, they make a statement which applies to all things of a particular kind, although they have not considered all the relevant facts carefully. [DISAPPROVAL ] □  It is far too early to make sweeping statements about gene therapy.

3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Sweeping changes are large and very important or significant. □  The new government has started to make sweeping changes in the economy.

4 → see also sweep

sweep|stake /swiː pste I k/ (sweepstakes ) N‑COUNT A sweepstake is a method of gambling in which each person pays a small amount of money and is given the name of a competitor before a race or contest. The person who has the name of the winner receives all the money.

sweet ◆◇◇ /swiː t/ (sweeter , sweetest , sweets )

1 ADJ Sweet food and drink contains a lot of sugar. □  …a mug of sweet tea. □  If the sauce seems too sweet, add a dash of vinegar. ●  sweet|ness N‑UNCOUNT □  Florida oranges have a natural sweetness.

2 N‑COUNT Sweets are small sweet things such as toffees, chocolates, and mints. [BRIT ] in AM, use candy 3 N‑VAR A sweet is something sweet, such as fruit or a pudding, that you eat at the end of a meal, especially in a restaurant. [BRIT ] □  The sweet was a mousse flavoured with coffee. in AM, use dessert 4 ADJ A sweet smell is a pleasant one, for example the smell of a flower. □  She'd baked some bread which made the air smell sweet.