What's the difference between a broom and a sweep?

Question

What's the difference between a broom and a sweep?

Answer 1

It's hard to explain but I know that you use a broom to sweep the floor. I explain what is the meaning now...A broom is a stick with lots of string. The meaning of sweep is, you hold the stick and move it up and down. The difference is that a broom is a Noun and sweep is a adverb.

Answer 2

In standard English, this is easy as, generally, a broom is a noun and sweep is a verb - a broom is a thing used to sweep.

There are times when 'sweep' is a noun, but not related to broom (e.g. a 'sweeping expanse' of lawn can be called 'a sweep' or 'a sweep of the arm').

Somewhat related are things such as 'a clean sweep' (a clear cut victory) or 'a chimney sweep' (a person who sweeps).

There's something about the way you've asked the question, however, that makes me think you have heard 'sweep' used in a way that is not normal in standard English - perhaps a local colloqualism or dialect? Where are you?

Answer 3

Sweep is what you do with a broom.  It's the action.