English

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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sweep the board (third-person singular simple present sweeps the board, present participle sweeping the board, simple past and past participle swept the board)

  1. (idiomatic) To win all the prizes in a competition.
    • 1714, Alexander Pope, “Canto III”, in The Rape of the Lock (poetry):
      Spadillio first, unconquerable Lord!
      Led off two captive Trumps, and swept the Board.
      As many more Manillio forc'd to yield,
      And march'd a Victor from the verdant Field.
    • 2015 February 23, “Oscars 2015: 10 things we learned”, in The Guardian (London)[1]:
      It’s always fun when something massive comes along and sweeps the board, giving everything else a thoroughly good kicking – think Titanic, The Silence of the Lambs, or Lord of the Rings. There’s a sort of deranged, gluttonous feeling, a perverse glee in seeing so many dreams trampled on by a massive cultural juggernaut.
  2. (card games) To take all of the cards.
  3. (idiomatic) To get enough votes in an election to gain all the seats.