swoop
to sweep through the air, as a bird or a bat, especially down upon prey.
to come down upon something in a sudden, swift attack (often followed by down and on or upon): The army swooped down on the town.
to take, lift, scoop up, or remove with or as with one sweeping motion (often followed by up, away, or off): He swooped her up in his arms.
an act or instance of swooping; a sudden, swift descent.
Idioms about swoop
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.
Origin of swoop
1Other words for swoop
Words Nearby swoop
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use swoop in a sentence
Amazon says bright or dark lights can throw off the Show’s person-detection software, and it tries to focus on the center of the action without too many swoops that might look jarring for the person on the other end of the call.
Amazon’s new rotating, follow-you camera is useful — and invasive | Geoffrey Fowler | February 26, 2021 | Washington PostThis was a handy way to trigger various features, like clearing all notifications in one swoop.
Apple Watch Series 6 first impressions: A stretchy addition looks great | Aaron Pressman | September 17, 2020 | FortuneThe hard hat was to protect him should the parents swoop low.
At the same time I was on an emotional upswing, a hyper-manic swoop and I was falling in love with my now-wife.
The Author Of The Summer's Hit Paranoid Fantasy Opens Up | William O’Connor | August 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAs you walk in front of the first screen, your silhouette appears and birds swoop down toward you.
Frickin’ Laser Beams Run by Eyeballs: The Next Art Revolution Is Here | Nico Hines | July 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
In one fell swoop, the Supreme Court has constrained government power, expanded corporate rights, and protected religious tyranny.
She needs to reassure Brody that all will be well—that the CIA will swoop in and iron everything out.
‘Homeland’ Finale Shocker: A Death in the Family | Andrew Romano | December 16, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTAt one fell swoop on the field of Jena, the famed military monarchy of the great Frederick fell in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonWe always think of “eagle” when we think of “swoop,” but we do not often think of “swoop” when we think of “eagle.”
Assimilative Memory | Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)In a day or so they organise again, and swoop down on some other place, such as Belmont.
Campaign Pictures of the War in South Africa (1899-1900) | A. G. HalesBut Charlie didn't triumph, neither did he swoop; we watched carefully until we saw that Charlie was going astern!
Yachting Vol. 2 | Various.There is something in the very words "flying column" to appease the impatient; wings in the air, a swoop upon the victim.
The Relief of Mafeking | Filson Young
British Dictionary definitions for swoop
/ (swuːp) /
(intr; usually foll by down, on, or upon) to sweep or pounce suddenly
(tr; often foll by up, away, or off) to seize or scoop suddenly
the act of swooping
a swift descent
Origin of swoop
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with swoop
see one fell swoop.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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