swoop

[ swoop ]

/ swup /

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verb (used without object)

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.

verb (used with object)

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.

noun

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

OTHER WORDS FOR swoop

4 dive, plunge, sweep, drop.

See synonyms for swoop on Thesaurus.com

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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

1535–45; variant (with close ō) of Middle English swopen,Old English swāpan to sweep¹; cognate with German schweifen

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

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|DAILY BEAST
They 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|DAILY BEAST
He 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|DAILY BEAST
He 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|DAILY BEAST

European 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|DAILY BEAST
They appeared and vanished about the corners of the Islands and promontories like birds swooping after prey.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
Little 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. Ballantyne
Even 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 Eaton
Francesca made a sudden swooping motion, and caught box, cover, and contents in her arms.
Penelope's Experiences in Scotland|Kate Douglas Wiggin
The 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

swoop

/ (swuːp) /

verb

(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

noun

the act of swooping

a swift descent

Word Origin for swoop

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

Collins 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

swoop

see one fell swoop.

swoop

OTHER WORDS FOR swoop

Idioms about swoop

Origin of swoop

Words related to swoop

How to use swoop in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for swoop

Word Origin for swoop

Other Idioms and Phrases with swoop