To sweep means to clean a floor by pushing dirt and dust into a pile with a broom, moving the broom back and forth in broad strokes. When you sweep the kitchen after dinner, you gather crumbs and debris so they can be collected in a dustpan.

The word also describes any large, smooth, continuous motion. A searchlight might sweep across the night sky. A conductor's arm sweeps through the air as she directs an orchestra. When a curve in a road sweeps to the left, it bends in one long, graceful arc rather than making a sharp turn.

In sports and games, a sweep means winning every game in a series. If your soccer team sweeps the tournament, you win every single match without losing once. In baseball, when one team sweeps a three-game series, they win all three games.

The word can also mean to spread quickly through a group or area. A new trend might sweep through your school, with everyone suddenly interested in the same thing. When a powerful storm sweeps across the plains, it moves forcefully and affects everything in its path.

As a noun, a sweep can be the act itself: “Give the garage a quick sweep before we park the car.” The word captures that sense of covering ground thoroughly and efficiently, whether you're cleaning, moving, or winning.