sweeping away

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To remove something by, or as if by, sweeping.
   • Bridges were swept away or damaged on the Gifford and Lauder branches, both of which were closed to passengers several years ago, but remained open for goods traffic.1949 January and February, “Notes and News: Damage to Branch Lines”, in Railway Magazine, page 64
2. (idiomatic, transitive) To overwhelm someone emotionally; sweep someone off their feet.
   • Balaam was swept away with admiration of the Israelite encampments and homes that were a picture of idyllic happiness and prosperity.1996, Macy Nulman, The Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer, page 234
3. (idiomatic, transitive) to completely destroy, to annihilate
   • The widespread, murderous counter-revolutionary pogroms against women, transgender expression and same-sex love carried out by the Catholic and early Protestant hierarchies had subsided as the Industrial Revolution began sweeping away the kingdoms of Europe.2004 June 3, Leslie Feinberg, “Rise of German Homosexual Emancipation Movement”, in Workers World