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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use swoop in a sentence
It has the swooping, symmetrical grace of a bird's wingspan.
The World's Most Beautiful Boat—Yours for Half a Billion Dollars | Tim Teeman | October 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThey craft melodies that mirror those experiences, swooping and soaring and begging you to sing along.
Why Is It Cool to Hate Coldplay? A First Listen of New Album ‘Ghost Stories’ | Andrew Romano | March 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe says the way we do this is similar to a bird of prey assessing its quarry, swooping in.
David Best Creates a Temple Made of Memories Outside San Francisco | Debra A. Klein | February 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe did the same for my sister, swooping in to whisk her away from the Cadet Org in Florida.
Scientology’s Sea Org: A Story of Escape for Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise | Abigail Pesta | July 6, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTEuropean leaders have pinned their hopes on wealthy foreign investors, swooping in to buy eurozone sovereign.
Germany Must Pay Europe’s Tab If It Wants to Keep the Union Together | Louise Armitstead | June 8, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
They appeared and vanished about the corners of the Islands and promontories like birds swooping after prey.
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonLittle wonder that a woman should neglect to make due allowance for the quick swooping of the boat!
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands | R.M. BallantyneEven as we watched, a bird came swooping across the lawn, alighted on my knife handle, and began to carol.
The Idyl of Twin Fires | Walter Prichard EatonFrancesca made a sudden swooping motion, and caught box, cover, and contents in her arms.
Penelope's Experiences in Scotland | Kate Douglas WigginThe sharp chug-chug of a motor suddenly sounded, and the disguised launch darted forward like a hawk swooping down on a chicken.
The Argus Pheasant | John Charles Beecham
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.
Browse