p. sweóp; pp. swápen To sweep, I. trans, (a) To sweep with a brush (lit. or metaph.):-- Ic swápe uerro, Ælfc. Gr. 28, 4; Zup. 169, 14. Ic sweóp gást mínne scopebam spiritum meum, Ps. Spl. 76, 6. (b) to sweep, move (something) with the action of one sweeping :-- Swápeþ sigeméce mid ðære swíðran hond ðæt deófol gefeallaþ in sweartne lég he shall sweep the victorious blade with the right hand, so that devils shall fall into dark flame, Exon. Th. 93, 24; Cri. 1531. [Mid beseme clene swopen scopis mundatam, O. E. Homl. ii. 87, 10. Me wule swopen þin hus, Misc. 176, 151: Fragm. Phlps. 7, 6. Heó swopeð þe duste awei, A. R. 314, 6. Clensi and zuope þe herte. Ayenb. 109, 5. Chaucer has swope, swoope.] II. intrans. To sweep, have a sweeping motion, drive; the form and much of the sense belong to swoop :-- Húse on munte on swift wind swápeþ (cf. hús on munte full ungemetlíc wind gestent, Bt. 12; Fox 36, 16) montis cacumen protervus auster totis viribus urget, Met. 7, 20. Cf. answeóp, -suaep afflarat (at-, ad-), Txts. 38, 32. Onsweóp, 43, 235. Brim wíde wǽðde, wælfæðmum sweóp, Cd. 208, 9; Exod. 480. Hé geseah swápendum (or under I. b) windum ðone lég ðæs fýres ofer ðære burge wallas áhefenne (se wind ðæt fýr ofer ða wallas dráf, MS. B.) cum ventis ferentibus globos ignis supra muros urbis exaltari conspiceret, Bd. 3, 16; S. 542, 37. Cf. onsuápen instincta, Wrt. Voc. ii. 111, 79. Inswápen, 44, 35. [Swyfte swaynes ful swyþe swepen þertylle, Allit. Pms. 83, 1509.] III. to wrap. O.H. Ger. sweifan to swing. Cf. Icel. sveipa (wk.) to sweep, stroke; make a sweeping stroke with a weapon; wrap, swaddle.]