To clean a surface with a broom; to move continuously across something; to win decisively or completely.
From Old English 'swapan' meaning 'to sweep or polish.' Cognate with Old Norse 'svipa.' The word has been in English over 1000 years. The competitive sense (sweep a series) became common in sports contexts by the 1900s.
Sweeping is actually one of the most biomechanically efficient cleaning methods humans developed—the repetitive pushing motion engages large muscle groups and requires minimal bending, which is why it's still used everywhere despite vacuum technology.
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