swoop

[swoop]

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.

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

swoop

/ 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

noun

1. the act of swooping

2. a swift descent

Word History and Origins

Origin of swoop¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of swoop¹

Old English swāpan to sweep; related to Old High German sweifan to swing around, Old Norse sveipa to throw

Idioms and Phrases

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.

see one fell swoop.

Example Sentences

In an emergency scenario, it’s certainly within the realm of possibility that you could rack up the equivalent of an entire year’s worth of Medigap premiums in one fell swoop.

Read more on MarketWatch

Police, who swooped mid-October, did not name the company but the searches followed allegations against New Zealand-headquartered Maritime Mutual Insurance Association.

Read more on Barron's

The charismatic Cignetti just started last year and has already gotten a pair of hefty raises because Hoosier Nation is terrified a rich rival will swoop in to take him, most recently Penn State.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

SSG footage shows armed soldiers swooping on a car and detaining three individuals.

Read more on BBC

Cable news, whose viewpoint is portrayed by journalist and producer Soledad O’Brien, swoops in to cover this latest culture war flare-up.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• dive 
• plummet 
• pounce