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

Let’s start with the big “why” for your efforts, because that may solve all of your hesitations in one fell swoop.

From MarketWatch

Realizing there is no one out there who will swoop in and save them, the everyday people of Minnesota are, like Good, standing up for their community.

From Salon

And maybe even better, since she had a way with writing her ABCs and I couldn’t care less about swoops and curlicues back then.

From Literature

Partners may be defined as primary or secondary or mere “comets,” who swoop in occasionally.

From Los Angeles Times

Six tactical vest-clad Border Patrol officers riding in four vehicles swooped on the vehicle in the parking lot of a doctor’s office.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• dive
• plummet
• pounce