broom
A cleaning tool consisting of a long handle attached to a bundle of stiff fibers or bristles, used for sweeping floors. It also refers to a group of yellow-flowered shrubs in the pea family, whose branches were historically bundled together to create the sweeping implement.
Examples
3 of 5I need to grab the broom to sweep up the crumbs under the kitchen table.
I should use the sweeping tool to clean the food pieces from the floor.
The facility manager requested a high-grade industrial broom for the warehouse maintenance.
The manager asked for a heavy-duty floor cleaner for the storage area.
Just leave the broom in the corner; I'll get to the cleaning later.
Put the sweeper aside for now, and I will clean up another time.
Antonyms
Word Family
Memory Tip
Remember: A **Broom** is used to clean your **Room**.
Quick Quiz
After the glass broke, she used a ___ and a dustpan to clear the floor.
Correct!
The correct answer is: broom
Examples
I need to grab the broom to sweep up the crumbs under the kitchen table.
everydayI should use the sweeping tool to clean the food pieces from the floor.
The facility manager requested a high-grade industrial broom for the warehouse maintenance.
formalThe manager asked for a heavy-duty floor cleaner for the storage area.
Just leave the broom in the corner; I'll get to the cleaning later.
informalPut the sweeper aside for now, and I will clean up another time.
In botanical studies, the Scotch broom is often analyzed for its invasive impact on local ecosystems.
academicResearchers study the broom plant to see how it affects the environment negatively.
The new CEO acted like a new broom, restructuring the entire department within a week.
businessThe new leader made major changes quickly to improve the company's efficiency.
Antonyms
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
A new broom sweeps clean
A new leader or person in charge will make many changes to improve a situation.
To jump the broom
A cultural tradition signifying getting married, common in African-American and Celtic history.
Fly on a broomstick
A common mythological image of how witches travel.
Often Confused With
A bloom is a flower or the process of flowering, whereas a broom is a tool for cleaning.
Usage Notes
While primarily used as a noun for the tool, 'broom' can also refer to the botanical shrub. In modern English, 'broom' as a verb is rare; 'sweep' is the preferred action word.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes use 'brush' and 'broom' interchangeably, but a broom specifically has a long handle for floor cleaning, while brushes are usually smaller and hand-held.
Memory Tip
Remember: A **Broom** is used to clean your **Room**.
Word Origin
From Old English 'brōm', which was the name of a yellow-flowered shrub whose twigs were bundled to make sweepers.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
In many cultures, the broom is a symbol of domesticity, and in folklore, it is famously associated with witches and magic.
Quick Quiz
After the glass broke, she used a ___ and a dustpan to clear the floor.
Correct!
The correct answer is: broom
Related Grammar Rules
Related Vocabulary
Related Words
to
A1Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.
and
A1A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.
a
A1A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.
that
A1This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.
I
A1The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.
for
A1Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.
not
A1A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.
with
A1A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.
he
A1A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
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