Origin and history of upsweep

mid-13c., swope, "a whip, scourge," from the verb (see sweep (v.)) or its Old Norse cognate, or from Old English sweopu. The form replacement with -ee- follows the verb.

The meaning "act or action of sweeping" is from 1550s. It is attested from 1670s as "range or extent of a continued or non-rectilinear motion."

The meaning "rapid survey or inspection by moving the direction of vision" is by 1784. In reference to military (later police) actions that comprehensively move across a wide area, from 1837.

The sense of "a winning of all the tricks in a card game" is from 1814 (see sweepstakes); it was extended in this sense to other sports and contests by 1960. As a shortened form of chimney-sweeper, it is attested by 1796.

in reference to a style of women's hairdressing, by 1938; see up (adj.) + do (n.) as in hairdo. Up (adj.), in reference to hair, "worn tied or pinned to the head," is attested from 1911.

a prefix bringing various senses of up, including "toward a more elevated position; at or to a source, head, or center; in or to an erect position;" originally from Old English up (adv.). It corresponds to Dutch op-, German auf-, Old Norse upp-.

Modern formations with it include upchuck, update, upfield, upgrade (v.), upload, upswing (n.), upscale, uptight, all from 20c.

The prefix was highly productive in Old and Middle English (and among poets of all eras), forming up-verbs where modern English uses "verb up." Some of these (uplift) survive.

Many do not: Upbear, upblaze, upblow, upbreak, updress, upgive, uphang, upshut, upsit, upspeak, uptie, upthrow, upwake, etc. The old verbs are not so much archaic as dissolved. In a few cases two forms survive to sustain (sometimes contrary) distinct senses: Hold up and uphold; set up and upset.