Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(N.Z.) totally without money.

1930		(con. WWI) AE Strong in Partridge Sl. To-day and Yesterday (1933) 287: When I done all my sugar [...] he went very hostile because I never told him I was swept.
1935		(ref. to WWI) Mitchell & Strong in Partridge Sl. To-day and Yesterday 286: [The] following [was] employed by those who served in the [Great] War – swept, cleaned out of money. [Ibid.] 287: When I done all my sugar and never even had the makings, he went very hostile because I never told him I was swept.
1955		B.J. Cameron Collection (TS July) n.p.: swept (adj) Had it, washed up [DNZE].
1962		B. Crump One of Us 169: ‘You’ll have to give me some more money,’ he said to Sam. ‘I’m swept again.’ [DNZE].
1972		Truth (Wellington) 11 July 43: She was clean swept too, so it wasn’t any use trying to take up a collection from her [DNZE].
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].