make a clean sweep (of something)

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• sweep — [[t]swi͟ːp[/t]] ♦♦♦ sweeps, sweeping, swept 1) VERB If you sweep an area of floor or ground, you push dirt or rubbish off it using a brush with a long handle. [V n] The owner of the store was sweeping his floor when I walked in... [V n prep/adv]… …   English dictionary

• clean — clean1 W2 [kli:n] adj comparative cleaner superlative cleanest ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(not dirty)¦ 2¦(people/animals)¦ 3¦(environment)¦ 4¦(fair or legal)¦ 5¦(not offensive)¦ 6 come clean 7 make a clean breast of it …   Dictionary of contemporary English

• clean — clean1 [ klin ] adjective *** ▸ 1 not dirty ▸ 2 not guilty/illegal/wrong ▸ 3 smooth/regular/neat ▸ 4 light and fresh ▸ 5 without writing/errors ▸ + PHRASES 1. ) not dirty: Go and put on a clean shirt. nice clean towels spotlessly clean:… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

• clean — I UK [kliːn] / US [klɪn] adjective Word forms clean : adjective clean comparative cleaner superlative cleanest *** 1) not dirty Go and put on a clean shirt. nice clean towels clean and tidy: I like to keep the place clean and tidy. spotlessly… …   English dictionary

• sweep — I. /swip / (say sweep) verb (swept, sweeping) –verb (t) 1. to move, drive, or bring, by passing a broom, brush, or the like over the surface occupied, or as the broom or other object does: to sweep dust away. 2. to move, bring, take, etc., by or… …  

• clean — adjective 1》 free from dirt, marks, or pollutants.     ↘attentive to personal hygiene. 2》 morally pure.     ↘not offensive or obscene: good clean fun.     ↘showing or having no record of offences or crimes.     ↘done according to the rules. 3》… …   English new terms dictionary

• sweep — v. & n. v. (past and past part. swept) 1 tr. clean or clear (a room or area etc.) with or as with a broom. 2 intr. (often foll. by up) clean a room etc. in this way. 3 tr. (often foll. by up) collect or remove (dirt or litter etc.) by sweeping. 4 …   Useful english dictionary

• sweep — sweep1 W3S3 [swi:p] v past tense and past participle swept [swept] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(clean something)¦ 2¦(push something somewhere)¦ 3¦(push somebody/something with force)¦ 4¦(group moves)¦ 5¦(wind/waves etc)¦ 6¦(become popular)¦ 7¦(feeling)¦… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

• sweep — 1 /swi:p/ verb past tense and past participle swept /swept/ 1 CLEAN STH (T) to clean the dust, dirt etc from the floor or ground using a special brush: Bert swept the path in front of the house. | Sweep the floor clean for me please. 2 PUSH STH… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

• clean — 1 /kli:n/ adjective 1 WITHOUT DIRT without any dirt or marks: Are your hands clean? | a clean towel | sweep/scrub etc sth clean: Wipe that sink clean when you re done. | clean and tidy/neat: Try to keep your room clean and tidy. | spotlessly… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English