sweeper

[ swee-per ]

noun

1. a person or thing that sweeps. sweeps. sweep.
2. carpet sweeper.
3. a janitor.
4. any of several fishes of the family Pempherididae, of tropical and warm, temperate seas, having an oblong, compressed body.

sweeper

/ ˈswiːpə /

noun

1. a person employed to sweep, such as a roadsweeper
2. any device for sweeping

   a carpet sweeper

3. informal.
   soccer a player who supports the main defenders, as by intercepting loose balls, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of sweeper¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; sweep ¹, -er ¹

Example Sentences

It's as if my friend's afraid to be away from her for any length of time outside of work, even to move her car across the street for the street sweeper.

From Washington Post

The transportation staff had moved some of the snow plows, pick-up trucks, street sweepers and other pieces of equipment normally stored in the garage to make room for the clinic.

From Time

Then you have these mechanical sweepers that basically sweep all the nuts off the ground and into windrows, about three feet wide, all in a big, long line on both sides of each tree.

From MIT Technology Review

A street sweeper was caught in the crossfire as a gunman fired at the officer, fatally wounding her in the back.

From The Daily Beast

At a pitch I could be a tolerable road-sweeper or an inefficient gardener or even a tenth-rate farm hand.

From The Daily Beast

His signature blue jacket is a Parisian street sweeper's smock purchased on his semi-annual trips to Paris.

From The Daily Beast

Mr. King and Mr. Lewis walking together in Birmingham, a chimney sweeper and his boy passed them.

From Project Gutenberg

A curious incident: during the night a Fleet-sweeper tied up alongside, full of wounded, chiefly Australians.

From Project Gutenberg

A beau highwayman and a miserable chimney sweeper were to be hanged together at Newgate for their respective deserts.

From Project Gutenberg

His back turned toward me, head bent, he hurriedly plies the broom with the quick, short stroke of the one-armed sweeper.

From Project Gutenberg

I say, very nearly knocking down the old sweeper who was hobbling away as fast as posibil.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• attendant
• custodian
• sitter
• superintendent