sweep up
Third Person
sweeps up
Present Participle
sweeping up
Past Tense
swept up
Past Participle
swept up
1
to collect and remove dirt or trash, typically from the floor or a surface using a broom
transitive
- The barista had to sweep the coffee grounds up around the espresso machine.
- The maintenance crew swept the sand up from the lobby after a windy day.
- The cleaning crew had to sweep up the leaves that had blown into the hallway.
- The janitor quickly swept up the spilled popcorn in the theater.
- I need to sweep the leaves up from the porch.
2
to lift someone with a quick, smooth movement
transitive
- The knight in the storybook always sweeps up the damsel in distress to rescue her.
- Let's sweep up the little one and get her ready for bed.
- The prince swept up the princess in a romantic dance move.
- The firefighter swiftly swept up the child and carried her to safety.
- She was so thrilled when he unexpectedly swept her up in his arms.
3
to eagerly adopt and make someone else's ideas or practices, a part of one's own
transitive
- The company quickly swept up the innovative marketing strategy introduced by its competitor.
- She decided to sweep the new fitness routine up from her friend and make it a part of her daily exercise.
- The fashion industry tends to sweep up popular trends from various cultures and integrate them into mainstream fashion.
- Students often sweep up study habits from high-achieving peers without consciously realizing it.
4
to force someone to do something or be in a certain situation
transitive
- The sudden announcement swept up the employees into a state of anticipation.
- The unexpected turn of events swept up the characters in a whirlwind of change.
- The announcement of the new project goals swept up the entire department, altering their priorities.
- The economic downturn swept up small businesses in a struggle for survival.
- The manager swept the team up in a new strategy to boost productivity.
5
to gather and pull hair back from the face, often into a particular hairstyle
transitive
- She swept up her long hair into an elegant bun for the formal event.
- After a workout, it's convenient to sweep up your hair into a ponytail to keep it off your neck.
- During hot summer days, many people prefer to sweep up their hair into a high, refreshing updo.
- In preparation for the dance performance, the dancers were instructed to sweep up their hair into neat and uniform styles.
- As the chef prepared to start cooking, she took a moment to sweep up her hair and secure it with a hair tie to maintain hygiene in the kitchen.