sweep the board

sweep the board

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

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, Pope, Alexander, “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)‎:

     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.