[f. as prec. + -ING2.]
1. That sweeps with a broom: also said of the broom. rare.
1611. Cotr., Balayeuse, a drudge, or sweeping wench.
1671. M. Bruce, Gd. News in Evil Times (1708), 14. When his Angel 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.
1611. Bible, Prov. xxviii. 3. A poore man that oppresseth the poore, is like a sweeping raine which leaueth no food.
1642. H. More, Song of Soul, I. II. cxxix. A sweeping torrent that beats down the corn.
1757. Gray, Bard, 75. Regardless of the sweeping Whirlwind’s sway.
1787. Burns, Death Sir J. H. Blair, xi. She said—and vanish’d with the sweeping blast.
1822. Byron, Heaven & Earth, ii. The stillness of The untrodden forest, only broken by The sweeping tempest through its groaning boughs.
1830. Cobbett, Hist. 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.
1610. Folkingham, Feudigr., I. v. 10. All sweeping or floating Waters, which flit and fleete to and fro with wind-catches.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 504. Seeming Stars … shooting through the Darkness, gild the Night With sweeping Glories, and long Trails of Light. Ibid., Æneid, I. 560. In length of Train descends her sweeping Gown. Ibid., III. 375. The Seamen ply Their sweeping Oars: the smokeing Billows fly.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, I. 84. Peers, and Dukes, and all their sweeping train.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr. (1823), I. 85. As the sweeping swallows stop Their flights along the green.
1859. Habits of Gd. Society, iv. (new ed.), 179. For state dinners it [sc. the dress] should be long, and fresh, and sweeping.
c. transf. of movement or action.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), I. 63. Away the coach drove at a sweeping gallop.
1812. Sporting Mag., XXXIX. 26. Richardson was thrown by a half jirk of the hip, followed by a sweeping cross-buttock.
1814. Southey, Roderick, III. 419. Looking round with sweeping eyes.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xi. With a sweeping blow, he threw down from a shelf some articles of pewter and earthenware.
1825. Hone, Every-day Bk., I. 880. The mower begins to make his sweeping cuts.
1864. Even. Standard, 26 May. The sweeping action of the Derby horse exciting general admiration.
1879. 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.
1772. Mason, Eng. Garden, I. 11. Where’er she [sc. Nature] takes Her horizontal march, pursue her step With sweeping train of forest.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xxxii. Emily … winding round the rock saw, within the sweeping bay beyond,… two groups of peasants.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xxv. Its stately towers, rising from within a long sweeping line of outward walls.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. VII. ii. Her sweeping tresses snooded by glittering antique fillet.
1855. Orr’s Circ. Sci., Inorg. Nat., 185. The sweeping form given to snow by winds.
1888. Morris, Dream J. Ball, i. The narrow stretch of bright green water-meadows that wind between the sweeping Wiltshire Downs.
4. fig. Having a wide scope; extensive, comprehensive, all-inclusive; wholesale, indiscriminate.
1771. Burke, Corr. (1844), I. 276. A general sweeping censure of my whole conduct.
1802. James, Milit. 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. Hazlitt, Table-t., Ser. II. iii. (1869), 56. A sweeping, unqualified assertion ends all controversy.
1833. T. Hook, Parson’s Dau., I. v. A sweeping suspicion of female virtue, and a splendid contempt for female intellect.
1858. Kingsley, Misc. (1859), 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.
