noun► on your Sweeneyon your own IRELAND, 1996.► the Sweeneythe Flying Squad, Metropolitan Police branch C1 (1921–48), subsequently C8; a member of the Flying Squad. Rhyming slang formed from 'Sweeney Todd' for 'Flying Squad'. Sweeney Todd was the legendary 'Demon Barber of Fleet Street'. Brought to widespread popular attention by television police drama series The Sweeney, originally broadcast from 1974–78, which gave the impression that all police work was about guns and fast cars UK, 1938