sweeper

One who sweeps.

Noun

  1. One who sweeps.
  2. One who sweeps floors or chimneys.
  3. A detector for mines.
  4. Any of the small, tropical marine perciform fishes of the family Pempheridae, typically with deeply keeled, compressed bodies and large eyes.
  5. A defender who is the last line of defence before the goalkeeper.

    Synonyms: libero

  6. A person who sweeps the ice ahead of the rock in play.
  7. A batsman who plays sweep shots.
  8. A fielding position along the boundary; a fielder in this position.
  9. A tree that has fallen over a river with branches extending into the water.
    • ..tree will be hanging over the water about canoe level (a sweeper).. - 2007, Basic Essentials Canoe Paddling, 3rd - Page 62
    • So named because they can sweep passengers from a boat, they can also capsize a canoe, especially when paddlers lean too far away from the sweeper.. - 1975, Verne Huser, River Running: Canoeing, Kayaking, Rowing,...
  10. A carpet sweeper.
  11. A vacuum cleaner.
  12. A group of students tasked at cleaning the homeroom after class dismissal.

Origin

From Middle English swepere, swepare, equivalent to sweep + -er. Cognate with Middle Low German swēpære, swēper (“broom for sweeping up debris”).

Forms

sweepers

Derived

carpetsweeper carpet sweeper chimney sweeper crossing-sweeper minesweeper Skysweeper street sweeper sweeperess sweeper-keeper trench sweeper