swoop

American  

[swoop] / swup /

verb (used without object)

1. to sweep through the air, as a bird or a bat, especially down upon prey.

2. to come down upon something in a sudden, swift attack (often followed by down and on orupon ).

   The army swooped down on the town.

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verb (used with object)

1. to take, lift, scoop up, or remove with or as with one sweeping motion (often followed by up, away, oroff ).

   He swooped her up in his arms.

noun

1. an act or instance of swooping; a sudden, swift descent.

   Synonyms:

   drop, sweep, plunge, dive

idioms

1. at / in one fell swoop, all at once or all together, as if by one blow.

   The quake flattened the houses at one fell swoop.

swoop British  

/ swuːp /

verb

1. (intr; usually foll by down, on, or upon) to sweep or pounce suddenly

2. (tr; often foll by up, away, or off) to seize or scoop suddenly

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noun

1. the act of swooping

2. a swift descent

swoop More Idioms  

1. see one fell swoop.

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Etymology

Origin of swoop

1535–45; variant (with close ō ) of Middle English swopen, Old English swāpan to sweep ¹; cognate with German schweifen

Example Sentences

However, it was not a sustained search by trained people it was intended for, but a swoop by soldiers, a place to get out of sight for half an hour.

From Literature

On Jan. 3, the military forces he commanded folded quickly as American commandos swooped in on helicopters and seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

From The Wall Street Journal

A couple of old screech owls swooped up a hedgerow, looking for mice.

From Literature

Something dark detached itself from the roof and swooped towards him.

From Literature

Miss Genovese is bound to swoop in at any moment.

From Literature

Related Words

• dive
• plummet
• pounce