ROADSWEEPER Meaning and
Definition
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A roadsweeper, also known as a street sweeper or a street cleaner, refers to a vehicle or a person employed for cleaning and maintaining the cleanliness of roads, streets, and other public thoroughfares. It is a specialized machine or equipment designed to remove dirt, debris, leaves, and other litter from the road surface, curbs, and gutters.
Typically, a roadsweeper is equipped with a wide rotating brush and powerful suction apparatus, enabling it to pick up and contain various types of waste. It is commonly employed by municipalities, local authorities, or private contractors responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of public spaces. In developed urban areas, roadsweepers are often integral to the upkeep of city hygiene and public health, as they ensure the removal of harmful particles or pollutants from road surfaces.
Roadsweepers come in different forms, ranging from large mechanical vehicles operated by experienced drivers to smaller manual machines that require human labor. The larger vehicles are usually parked at dedicated depots and dispatched to cover designated routes on a scheduled basis, while the manual sweepers are guided by workers who physically sweep the debris into collection bags.
Without the diligent work of roadsweepers, streets and roads would progressively become congested with litter, posing hazards to both pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Moreover, roadsweepers play a significant role in preventing debris from entering the drainage systems, reducing the chances of flooding during heavy rainfall.
Etymology of ROADSWEEPER
The word "roadsweeper" is a compound word composed of two elements: "road" and "sweeper".
The term "road" comes from the Old English word "rad", which means path, journey, or riding. It has Germanic origins and shares a common root with similar words in other Germanic languages. Over time, "rad" developed into "road" in Middle English.
The word "sweeper" derives from the verb "sweep", which has its roots in Old English. "Sweep" originally meant to clean or clear an area using a broom or brush. The Old English verb "swapan" eventually led to the Middle English "sweperen", and later developed into "sweep" in modern English.
