sweeping over; engulfing
Describes a natural force or disaster that sweeps over a wide area, leaving nothing untouched. Often used with 津波, 洪水, 火災, etc.
The tsunami swept over the coastal town.
Used in competitive contexts (sports, elections, awards) when one side wins everything or takes all prizes.
His work made a clean sweep of the awards.
Standard mixed kanji-kana spelling.
Katakana variant, often used for emphasis or in informal writing.
Rare kanji form using 嘗; not commonly encountered.
Compound of 総 (all, whole) and 嘗め (from 嘗める, to lick or taste, here metaphorically meaning to sweep over or engulf). The image is of something licking up everything in its path.