English

Verb

swoop ‎(third-person singular simple present swoops, present participle swooping, simple past and past participle swooped) (intransitive)

1. (intransitive) to fly or glide downwards suddenly; to plunge (in the air) or nosedive

   The lone eagle swooped down into the lake, snatching its prey, a small fish.

2. (intransitive) to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement, especially to attack something

   The dog had enthusiastically swooped down on the bone.

   • 1922, Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit

     There was a person called Nana who ruled the nursery. Sometimes she took no notice of the playthings lying about, and sometimes, for no reason whatever, she went swooping about like a great wind and hustled them away in cupboards.

3. (transitive) To fall on at once and seize; to catch while on the wing.

   A hawk swoops a chicken.

4. (transitive) To seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep.
   • Dryden

     And now at last you came to swoop it all.

   • Glanvill

     The grazing ox which swoops it [the medicinal herb] in with the common grass.

5. To pass with pomp; to sweep.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Drayton to this entry?)

Translations

Noun

swoop ‎(plural swoops)

1. An instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downward.

   The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim. – Sun Tzu

   • 1922, Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit

     One evening, when the Boy was going to bed, he couldn't find the china dog that always slept with him. Nana was in a hurry, and it was too much trouble to hunt for china dogs at bedtime, so she simply looked about her, and seeing that the toy cupboard door stood open, she made a swoop.

2. A sudden act.
   • John Webster

     Fortune's a right whore. If she give ought, she deals it in small parcels, that she may take away all at one swoop.

3. (music) A quick passage from one note to the next.
   • 2008, Russell Dean Vines, Composing Digital Music For Dummies (page 281)

     Originally, computers' attempts at making music were recognizable by their beeps and boops and weird swoops.

Translations

Anagrams

• woops