---
title: sweeper — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sweeper» in the school dictionary: A sweeper is a person whose job is to sweep, such as a street sweeper or road sweeper. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sweeper/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/) / sweeper

# sweeper

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sweeper, job, defender, street sweeper, big road sweeper, brushes · **What happens:** be, play, stop, brush, clean up, drive · **To what, where:** person, machine, defender, football, other defenders, attacks

<!-- .vabout -->
«sweeper» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [sweeper in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sweeper.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sweeper is a person whose job is to sweep, such as a street sweeper or road sweeper.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:m1:1
# text = A sweeper is a person whose job is to sweep, such as a street sweeper or road sweeper.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	sweep	sweep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
12	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	19	case	_	_
13	as	as	ADP	IN	_	12	fixed	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	street	street	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	_
19	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a sweeper | a person and sweeper sweeper |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | job |  |  |  |  | sweep *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sweeper is a machine or tool for sweeping, like a carpet sweeper or a street-cleaning truck.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:m2:1
# text = A sweeper is a machine or tool for sweeping, like a carpet sweeper or a street-cleaning truck.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	machine	machine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	tool	tool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	sweeping	sweeping	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	carpet	carpet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
17	street	street	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	cleaning	cleaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	_
20	truck	truck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a sweeper | a machine or tool for sweeping and a carpet sweeper or a cleaning truck |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: sport — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In football, a sweeper is a defender who plays behind the other defenders to stop attacks.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:m3:1
# text = In football, a sweeper is a defender who plays behind the other defenders to stop attacks.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	defender	defender	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
11	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	defenders	defender	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
17	attacks	attack	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a sweeper | a defender |  | football |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** | present | a defender |  |  | the other defenders |  |  | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **stop** | to-infinitive | a defender *not said here* | attacks |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality attack=Eventuality |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: sport — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In curling, a sweeper brushes the ice in front of the stone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:m4:1
# text = In curling, a sweeper brushes the ice in front of the stone.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	curling	curling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	brushes	brush	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brush** | present | a sweeper | the ice |  | curling |  | in front of the stone | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent ice=Theme in curling=Destination |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The street sweeper cleaned up the leaves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:x1:1
# text = The street sweeper cleaned up the leaves.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	street	street	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	cleaned	clean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	up	up	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **clean up** | past | the street sweeper | the leaves |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent leaf=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A big road sweeper drove past with its brushes spinning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:x2:1
# text = A big road sweeper drove past with its brushes spinning.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	drove	drive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	past	past	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	brushes	brush	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
10	spinning	spin	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drive** | past | a big road sweeper |  |  |  |  | with sweeper's brushes; past *property* | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2-1 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **spin** | gerund | sweeper's brushes *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nan uses a carpet sweeper on the rug.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:x3:1
# text = Nan uses a carpet sweeper on the rug.
1	Nan	Nan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	carpet	carpet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	rug	rug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Nan | a carpet sweeper |  | the rug |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sweeper=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He played as the sweeper in our football team.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:x4:1
# text = He played as the sweeper in our football team.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	as	as	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | past | He |  |  | our football team |  | as the sweeper | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sweepers brushed the ice in front of the curling stone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:x5:1
# text = The sweepers brushed the ice in front of the curling stone.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sweepers	sweeper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	brushed	brush	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	curling	curling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brush** | past | the sweepers | the ice |  | front of the curling stone |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent ice=Theme in front=Destination |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sweeper came early to clean the market square.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:x6:1
# text = The sweeper came early to clean the market square.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	early	early	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	clean	clean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	market	market	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	square	square	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | the sweeper |  |  |  |  | early *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **clean** | to-infinitive | the sweeper *not said here* | the market square |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent square=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The news of Nag’s death was all over the garden, for the sweeper had thrown the body on the rubbish-heap.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sweeper:x7:1
# text = The news of Nag’s death was all over the garden, for the sweeper had thrown the body on the rubbish-heap.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	Nag	Nag	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	’s	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
8	all	all	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
9	over	over	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
13	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	sweeper	sweeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj:pass	_	_
16	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
17	thrown	throw	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	conj	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
20	on	on	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
22	rubbish	rubbish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	heap	heap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the news of Nag's death |  |  | the garden |  | all *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **throw** | past · perfect · passive |  | the sweeper |  | the rubbish heap |  |  | vn throw-17.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: subject=Destination body=Theme |
| 3 | **die** |  | Nag |  |  |  |  |  | nom death «event intransitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [sweep](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sweep/)
- next →: [sweeping](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sweeping/)
- ↑ back to [S in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/)