scoop

American  

[skoop] / skup /

noun

1. a ladle or ladlelike utensil, especially a small, deep-sided shovel with a short, horizontal handle, for taking up flour, sugar, etc.

2. a utensil composed of a palm-sized hollow hemisphere attached to a horizontal handle, for dishing out ice cream or other soft foods.

3. a hemispherical portion of food as dished out by such a utensil.

   two scoops of chocolate ice cream.

4. the bucket of a dredge, steam shovel, etc.

5. Surgery. a spoonlike apparatus for removing substances or foreign objects from the body.

6. a hollow or hollowed-out place.

7. the act of ladling, dipping, dredging, etc.

8. the quantity held in a ladle, dipper, shovel, bucket, etc.

9. Journalism. a news item, report, or story first revealed in one paper, magazine, newscast, etc.; beat.

10. Informal. news, information, or details, especially as obtained from experience or an immediate source.

    What's the scoop on working this machine?

11. a gathering to oneself or lifting with the arms or hands.

12. Informal. a big haul, as of money.

13. Television, Movies. a single large floodlight shaped like a flour scoop.

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verb (used with object)

1. to take up or out with or as if with a scoop.

2. to empty with a scoop.

3. to form a hollow or hollows in.

4. to form with or as if with a scoop.

5. to get the better of (other publications, newscasters, etc.) by obtaining and publishing or broadcasting a news item, report, or story first.

   They scooped all the other dailies with the story of the election fraud.

6. to gather up or to oneself or to put hastily by a sweeping motion of one's arms or hands.

   He scooped the money into his pocket.

verb (used without object)

1. to remove or gather something with or as if with a scoop.

   to scoop with a ridiculously small shovel.

scoop British  

/ skuːp /

noun

1. a utensil used as a shovel or ladle, esp a small shovel with deep sides and a short handle, used for taking up flour, corn, etc

2. a utensil with a long handle and round bowl used for dispensing liquids

3. a utensil with a round bowl and short handle, sometimes with a mechanical device to empty the bowl, for serving ice cream or mashed potato

4. anything that resembles a scoop in action, such as the bucket on a dredge

5. a spoonlike surgical instrument for scraping or extracting foreign matter, etc, from the body

6. the quantity taken up by a scoop

7. the act of scooping, dredging, etc

8. a hollow cavity

9. slang a large quick gain, as of money

10. a news story reported in one newspaper before all the others; an exclusive

11. any sensational piece of news

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verb

1. (often foll by up) to take up and remove (an object or substance) with or as if with a scoop

2. (often foll by out) to hollow out with or as if with a scoop

   to scoop a hole in a hillside

3. to win (a prize, award, or large amount of money)

4. to beat (rival newspapers) in uncovering a news item

5. sport to hit (the ball) on its underside so that it rises into the air

Other Word Forms

• outscoop verb (used with object)
• scooper noun
• scoopful noun
• underscoop noun
• unscooped adjective

Etymology

Origin of scoop

1300–50; (noun) Middle English scope < Middle Dutch schōpe; (v.) Middle English scopen, derivative of the noun

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, Indian oil refiners—now armed with a waiver from the U.S. to start buying Russian crude again—have swooped in to scoop up Moscow’s exports.

From The Wall Street Journal

One player matched all five numbers - 12, 14, 27, 44 and 50 - plus the two Lucky Star numbers - 04 and 12 - to scoop the jackpot.

From BBC

In Italian, scarpetta involves the scooping up of the leftover gravy.

From The Wall Street Journal

He stood in the seat, swinging the little scoop neck door open for me.

From Literature

Lacking international exposure, they largely ignore U.S. sanctions, scooping up cheap crude to compete domestically.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• clear away
• dig
• dig out
• gouge
• lift
• pick up
• remove
• scrape