Sweep vs. Sway: What's the Difference?

To clean or clear, as of dirt, with a broom or brush

To swing back and forth or to and fro.

To clear away with a broom or brush

To incline or bend to one side; veer

To clear (a path or space) with a broom or brush.

To incline toward change, as in opinion or feeling

To search thoroughly

To fluctuate, as in outlook.

To search for and remove (electronic eavesdropping devices) from a place

To cause to swing back and forth or to and fro

To touch or brush lightly, as with a trailing garment

To cause to incline or bend

To pass over or through a surface or medium with a continuous movement

To exert influence or control over

To clear, drive, or convey with relentless force

(Nautical) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.

To wipe out at a single stroke. Often used with away

To rule or govern.

To remove or carry off with a swift brushing motion

To wield, as a weapon or scepter.

To move across or through swiftly or broadly

The act of moving from side to side with a swinging motion.

To pass quickly across, as when searching

Influence or control

To drag the bottom of (a body of water).

The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.

To win all games in (a series) or all stages of (a contest)

A rocking or swinging motion.

To win overwhelmingly in

Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side

To clean or clear a surface with a broom or brush.

Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.

To search an area for something.

Rule; dominion; control; power.

To search for and remove electronic eavesdropping devices.

A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.

To move swiftly or broadly

The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion.

To move swiftly in a lofty manner, as if in a trailing robe

To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.

To trail, as a long garment.

To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.

To extend gracefully, especially in a long curve

To influence or direct by power, authority, persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide. Compare persuade.

To extend in a wide range

To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp.

A clearing out or removal with a broom or brush.

(nautical) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.

A thorough search of an area

To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.

A search for and removal of electronic eavesdropping devices, as in a room.

To have weight or influence.

A wide curving motion

To bear sway; to rule; to govern.

A curve or contour that resembles the path of sweeping motion

To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield; as, to sway the scepter.

An extent or stretch

To influence or direct by power and authority; by persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide.

Range or scope

To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp; as, reeds swayed by wind; judgment swayed by passion.

(Football) An end run in which one or more linemen leave the line of scrimmage and block in advance of the ball carrier.

To hoist; as, to sway up the yards.

One who sweeps, especially a chimney sweep.

To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.

Sweeps Sweepings.

To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward.

The winning of all stages of a game or contest.

To have weight or influence.

An overwhelming victory or success.

To bear sway; to rule; to govern.

A long oar used to propel a boat.

The act of swaying; a swaying motion; the swing or sweep of a weapon.

A long pole attached to a pivot and used to raise or lower a bucket in a well.

Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side; as, the sway of desires.

Sweeps (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Informal Sweepstakes.

Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.

Sweeps The period each fall, winter, and spring when television ratings are accrued and studied and advertising rates are reset.

Rule; dominion; control.

The national survey of local stations that is conducted to determine these ratings.

A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.

The steady motion of an electron beam across a cathode-ray tube.

Controlling influence

(transitive) To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush.

Pitching dangerously to one side

(intransitive) To move through a (horizontal) arc or similar long stroke.

Move back and forth or sideways;

(transitive) To search (a place) methodically.

Move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner;

To travel quickly.

Win approval or support for;

(cricket) To play a sweep shot.

Cause to move back and forth;

(curling) To brush the ice in front of a moving stone, causing it to travel farther and to curl less.

To move something in a long sweeping motion, as a broom.

To win (a series) without drawing or losing any of the games in that series.

To defeat (a team) in a series without drawing or losing any of the games in that series.

(military) To clear (a body of water or part thereof) of mines.

(transitive) To remove something abruptly and thoroughly.

To brush against or over; to rub lightly along.

To carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion; hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion.

To strike with a long stroke.

(rowing) To row with one oar to either the port or starboard side.

(nautical) To draw or drag something over.

To pass over, or traverse, with the eye or with an instrument of observation.

To vacuum a carpet or rug.

A single action of sweeping.

The person who steers a dragon boat.

A person who stands at the stern of a surf boat, steering with a steering oar and commanding the crew.

A chimney sweep.

A methodical search, typically for bugs electronic listening devices.

(cricket) A batsman's shot, played from a kneeling position with a swinging horizontal bat.

A lottery, usually on the results of a sporting event, where players win if their randomly chosen team wins.

A flow of water parallel to shore caused by wave action at an ocean beach or at a point or headland.

(aviation) The degree to which an aircraft's wings are angled backwards (or, occasionally, forwards) from their attachments to the fuselage.

(martial arts) A throw or takedown that primarily uses the legs to attack an opponent's legs.

Violent and general destruction.

(metalworking) A movable template for making moulds, in loam moulding.

(card games) In the game casino, the act of capturing all face-up cards from the table.

The compass of any turning body or of any motion.

Direction or departure of a curve, a road, an arch, etc. away from a rectilinear line.

A large oar used in small vessels, partly to propel them and partly to steer them.

(rowing) A rowing style in which each rower rows with oar on either the port or starboard side.

The almond furnace.

A long pole, or piece of timber, moved on a horizontal fulcrum fixed to a tall post and used to raise and lower a bucket in a well for drawing water.

Any of the blades of a windmill.

(in the plural) The sweepings of workshops where precious metals are worked, containing filings, etc.

Any of several sea chubs in the family Kyphosidae (subfamily Scorpidinae).

An expanse or a swath, a strip of land.

To pass a broom across (a surface) so as to remove loose dirt, dust, etc.; to brush, or rub over, with a broom for the purpose of cleaning; as, to sweep a floor, the street, or a chimney. Used also figuratively.

To drive or carry along or off with a broom or a brush, or as if with a broom; to remove by, or as if by, brushing; as, to sweep dirt from a floor; the wind sweeps the snow from the hills; a freshet sweeps away a dam, timber, or rubbish; a pestilence sweeps off multitudes.

To brush against or over; to rub lightly along.

To carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion; hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion.

To strike with a long stroke.

To draw or drag something over; as, to sweep the bottom of a river with a net.

To pass over, or traverse, with the eye or with an instrument of observation; as, to sweep the heavens with a telescope.

To clean rooms, yards, etc., or to clear away dust, dirt, litter, etc., with a broom, brush, or the like.

To brush swiftly over the surface of anything; to pass with switness and force, as if brushing the surface of anything; to move in a stately manner; as, the wind sweeps across the plain; a woman sweeps through a drawing-room.

To pass over anything comprehensively; to range through with rapidity; as, his eye sweeps through space.

The act of sweeping.

The compass or range of a stroke; as, a long sweep.

The compass of any turning body or of any motion; as, the sweep of a door; the sweep of the eye.

The compass of anything flowing or brushing; as, the flood carried away everything within its sweep.

Violent and general destruction; as, the sweep of an epidemic disease.

Direction and extent of any motion not rectlinear; as, the sweep of a compass.

Direction or departure of a curve, a road, an arch, or the like, away from a rectlinear line.

One who sweeps; a sweeper; specifically, a chimney sweeper.

A movable templet for making molds, in loam molding.

The mold of a ship when she begins to curve in at the rungheads; any part of a ship shaped in a segment of a circle.

The almond furnace.

A long pole, or piece of timber, moved on a horizontal fulcrum fixed to a tall post and used to raise and lower a bucket in a well for drawing water.

In the game of casino, a pairing or combining of all the cards on the board, and so removing them all; in whist, the winning of all the tricks (thirteen) in a hand; a slam.

The sweeping of workshops where precious metals are worked, containing filings, etc.

A wide scope;

Someone who cleans soot from chimneys

Winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge

A long oar used in an open boat

(American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running around the end of the line

A movement in an arc;

Sweep across or over;

Move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions;

Sweep with a broom or as if with a broom;

Force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action;

To cover or extend over an area or time period;

Clean by sweeping;

Win an overwhelming victory in or on;

Cover the entire range of

Make a big sweeping gesture or movement