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Swoop
Definitions
- 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"
- 2 a swift descent through the air wordnet
- 3 A sudden act of seizing.
"Fortune's a right whore. If she give ought, she deals it in small parcels, that she may take away all at one swoop."
- 4 a very rapid raid wordnet
- 5 A quick passage from one note to the next.
"Originally, computers' attempts at making music were recognizable by their beeps and boops and weird swoops."
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- 6 (music) rapid sliding up or down the musical scale wordnet
- 1 To fly or glide downwards suddenly; to plunge (in the air) or nosedive. intransitive
"The lone eagle swooped down into the lake, snatching its prey, a small fish."
- 2 seize or catch with a swooping motion wordnet
- 3 To move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement, especially to attack something. intransitive
"The dog had enthusiastically swooped down on the bone."
- 4 move down on as if in an attack wordnet
- 5 To fall on at once and seize; to catch while on the wing. transitive
"And his Eagles, which can with the same ease as a kite swoops a chicken, snatch up a strong built Chamber of wood 12 foot square, & well crampt & fortified with Iron, with all its furniture, & a man besides, & carry it to the Clouds?"
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- 6 move with a sweep, or in a swooping arc wordnet
- 7 To seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep. transitive
"Thus the Phyſitian looks with another Eye on the Medicinal hearb, then the grazing Oxe, which ſwoops it in with the common graſs: […]"
- 8 To pass with pomp; to sweep. intransitive
"Proude Tamer swoopes along, with such a lustie traine / As fits so brave a flood two Countries that divides: […]"
- 9 To search the ground for discarded cigarette butts that can be made into new cigarettes. British, slang
"He was forever diving into dustbins or swooping on to the ground for cigarette ends."
Etymology
From Middle English swopen, from Old English swāpan (“to sweep”). Doublet of swaip. See also sweep, which was probably the basis for analogical restoration of /w/ in this word.
From Middle English swopen, from Old English swāpan (“to sweep”). Doublet of swaip. See also sweep, which was probably the basis for analogical restoration of /w/ in this word.
See also for "swoop"
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Unscramble this word: swoop