Ask Difference

Sweep vs. Swab — What's the Difference?

Sweep vs. Swab — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Sweep and Swab

ADVERTISEMENT

Compare with Definitions

Sweep

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

Swab

A small piece of absorbent material attached to the end of a stick or wire and used for cleansing a surface, applying medicine, or collecting a sample of a substance.

Sweep

To clear away with a broom or brush
Swept snow from the steps.

Swab

A sample collected with a swab.

Sweep

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

Swab

A sponge or patch of absorbent material used to clean the bore of a firearm or cannon.

Sweep

To search thoroughly
The counselors swept the dormitory during the fire drill.

Swab

A mop used for cleaning floors or decks.

Sweep

To search for and remove (electronic eavesdropping devices) from a place
Swept the room for bugs.

Swab

(Slang) A sailor.

Sweep

To touch or brush lightly, as with a trailing garment
Willow branches sweeping the ground.

Swab

(Slang) A lout.

Sweep

To pass over or through a surface or medium with a continuous movement
He swept the sponge over the tile. The conductor swept her baton through the air.

Swab

To use a swab on.

Sweep

To clear, drive, or convey with relentless force
The flood waters swept away everything in their path.

Swab

To clean with a swab.

Sweep

To wipe out at a single stroke. Often used with away
The incident in effect swept away all her dreams.

Swab

To collect a sample from (a person, for example) using a swab.

Sweep

To remove or carry off with a swift brushing motion
Swept the cards off the table.
Swept the child into his arms.

Swab

(medicine) A small piece of soft, absorbent material, such as gauze, used to clean wounds, apply medicine, or take samples of body fluids. Often attached to a stick or wire to aid access.

Sweep

To move across or through swiftly or broadly
News of the lunar landing swept the country.

Swab

A sample taken with a swab piece of absorbent material.

Sweep

To pass quickly across, as when searching
His gaze swept the horizon.

Swab

A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns.

Sweep

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

Swab

A mop, especially on a ship.

Sweep

To win all games in (a series) or all stages of (a contest)
Swept the World Series.

Swab

(slang) A sailor; a swabby.

Sweep

To win overwhelmingly in
The opposition party swept the election.

Swab

(slang) A naval officer's epaulet.

Sweep

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

Swab

(transitive) To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab.
Swab the deck of a ship

Sweep

To search an area for something.

Swab

To clean with a mop or swab; to wipe when very wet, as after washing; as, to swab the desk of a ship.

Sweep

To search for and remove electronic eavesdropping devices.

Swab

A kind of mop for cleaning floors, the desks of vessels, etc., esp. one made of rope-yarns or threads.

Sweep

To move swiftly or broadly
The wind swept over the plain.

Swab

A bit of sponge, cloth, or the like, fastened to a handle, for cleansing the mouth of a sick person, applying medicaments to deep-seated parts, etc.

Sweep

To move swiftly in a lofty manner, as if in a trailing robe
She swept by in silence.

Swab

An epaulet.

Sweep

To trail, as a long garment.

Swab

A cod, or pod, as of beans or pease.

Sweep

To extend gracefully, especially in a long curve
The hills sweep down to the sea.

Swab

A sponge, or other suitable substance, attached to a long rod or handle, for cleaning the bore of a firearm.

Sweep

To extend in a wide range
Searchlights swept across the sky.

Swab

Implement consisting of a small piece of cotton that is used to apply medication or cleanse a wound or obtain a specimen of a secretion

Sweep

A clearing out or removal with a broom or brush.

Swab

Cleaning implement consisting of absorbent material fastened to a handle; for cleaning floors

Sweep

A thorough search of an area
A police sweep for drug dealers.

Swab

Wash with a swab or a mop;
Swab the ship's decks

Sweep

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

Swab

Apply (usually a liquid) to a surface;
Dab the wall with paint

Sweep

A wide curving motion
A sweep of the arm.

Sweep

A curve or contour that resembles the path of sweeping motion
The sweep of her hair.

Sweep

An extent or stretch
A sweep of green lawn.

Sweep

Range or scope
The broad sweep of history.

Sweep

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

Sweep

One who sweeps, especially a chimney sweep.

Sweep

Sweeps Sweepings.

Sweep

The winning of all stages of a game or contest.

Sweep

An overwhelming victory or success.

Sweep

A long oar used to propel a boat.

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

(transitive) To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush.
To sweep a floor, the street, or a chimney

Sweep

(intransitive) To move through a (horizontal) arc or similar long stroke.
The wind sweeps across the plain.
The offended countess swept out of the ballroom.

Sweep

(transitive) To search (a place) methodically.

Sweep

To travel quickly.

Sweep

(cricket) To play a sweep shot.

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

(military) To clear (a body of water or part thereof) of mines.
The channel was swept twice before the battlefleet proceeded through it.

Sweep

(transitive) To remove something abruptly and thoroughly.
She swept the peelings off the table onto the floor.
The wind sweeps the snow from the hills.
The flooded river swept away the wooden dam.

Sweep

To brush against or over; to rub lightly along.

Sweep

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

Sweep

To strike with a long stroke.

Sweep

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

Sweep

(nautical) To draw or drag something over.
To sweep the bottom of a river with a net

Sweep

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

Sweep

To vacuum a carpet or rug.

Sweep

A single action of sweeping.
Give the front steps a quick sweep to get rid of those fallen leaves.

Sweep

The person who steers a dragon boat.

Sweep

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

Sweep

A chimney sweep.

Sweep

A methodical search, typically for bugs electronic listening devices.

Sweep

(cricket) A batsman's shot, played from a kneeling position with a swinging horizontal bat.
Bradman attempted a sweep, but in fact top edged the ball to the wicket keeper

Sweep

A lottery, usually on the results of a sporting event, where players win if their randomly chosen team wins.
Jim will win fifty dollars in the office sweep if Japan wins the World Cup.

Sweep

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

Sweep

(aviation) The degree to which an aircraft's wings are angled backwards (or, occasionally, forwards) from their attachments to the fuselage.
The MiG-17's inner wing has 45 degrees of sweep.

Sweep

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

Sweep

Violent and general destruction.
The sweep of an epidemic disease

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

The almond furnace.

Sweep

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.

Sweep

Any of the blades of a windmill.

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

An expanse or a swath, a strip of land.

Sweep

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.
I will sweep it with the besom of destruction.

Sweep

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.
The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies.
I have already swept the stakes.

Sweep

To brush against or over; to rub lightly along.
Their long descending train,With rubies edged and sapphires, swept the plain.

Sweep

To carry with a long, swinging, or dragging motion; hence, to carry in a stately or proud fashion.
And like a peacock sweep along his tail.

Sweep

To strike with a long stroke.
Wake into voice each silent string,And sweep the sounding lyre.

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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.

Sweep

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

Sweep

The act of sweeping.

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

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

Sweep

Direction or departure of a curve, a road, an arch, or the like, away from a rectlinear line.
The road which makes a small sweep.

Sweep

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

Sweep

A movable templet for making molds, in loam molding.

Sweep

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.

Sweep

The almond furnace.

Sweep

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.

Sweep

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.

Sweep

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

Sweep

A wide scope;
The sweep of the plains

Sweep

Someone who cleans soot from chimneys

Sweep

Winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge

Sweep

A long oar used in an open boat

Sweep

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

Sweep

A movement in an arc;
A sweep of his arm

Sweep

Sweep across or over;
Her long skirt brushed the floor
A gasp swept cross the audience

Sweep

Move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions;
The diva swept into the room
Shreds of paper sailed through the air
The searchlights swept across the sky

Sweep

Sweep with a broom or as if with a broom;
Sweep the crumbs off the table
Sweep under the bed

Sweep

Force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action;
They were swept up by the events
Don't drag me into this business

Sweep

To cover or extend over an area or time period;
Rivers traverse the valley floor
The parking lot spans 3 acres
The novel spans three centuries

Sweep

Clean by sweeping;
Please sweep the floor

Sweep

Win an overwhelming victory in or on;
Her new show dog swept all championships

Sweep

Cover the entire range of

Sweep

Make a big sweeping gesture or movement

Share Your Discovery

Share via Social Media
Embed This Content
Embed Code
Share Directly via Messenger
Link
Previous Comparison
Commit vs. Push
Next Comparison
Blackberry vs. Iphone

Popular Comparisons

Trending Comparisons

New Comparisons

Trending Terms