scoop

plural scoops

1. Any cup-shaped or bowl-shaped tool, usually with a handle, used to lift and move loose or soft solid material.

   an ice-cream scoop

   1 more example

   She kept a scoop in the dog food.

   Synonyms: scooper

2. The amount or volume of loose or solid material held by a particular scoop.

   Use one scoop of coffee for each pot.

   1 more example

   I'll have one scoop of chocolate ice-cream.

   Synonyms: scoopful

3. The act of scooping, or taking with a scoop or ladle; a motion with a scoop, as in dipping or shovelling.

   with a quick scoop, she fished the frog out of the pond.

4. A story or fact; especially, news learned and reported before anyone else.

   He listened carefully, in hopes of getting the scoop on the debate.

   2 more examples

   "We may get a scoop, if we are lucky. You'll be there in any case, so you'll just give us a pretty full report."

   1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC

   The problem is that the public, disobediently giggling over their social media accounts, reckon they’ve already got the scoop without needing to see the film.

   2016 November 7, Peter Bradshaw, “Allied: what happens when a film gets eclipsed by gossip”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: dope, poop

5. automotiveAn opening in a hood/bonnet or other body panel to admit air, usually for cooling the engine.
6. The digging attachment on a front-end loader.
7. A place hollowed out; a basinlike cavity; a hollow.

   Some had lain in the scoop of the rock.

   1819, Joseph Rodman Drake, The Culprit Fay

8. A spoon-shaped surgical instrument, used in extracting certain substances or foreign bodies.
9. A special spinal board used by emergency medical service staff that divides laterally to scoop up patients.
10. A sweep; a stroke; a swoop.
11. ScotlandThe peak of a cap.
12. pinballA hole on the playfield that catches a ball, but eventually returns it to play in one way or another.
13. hobbiesThe raised end of a surfboard.

    This brings the scoop into play as additional wetted surface and slows the board due to its fore-and-aft curvature

    1965, John M. Kelly, Surf and Sea, page 116

    1 more example

    [T]he scoop or upward curvature in the front or nose section of a board is designed to keep the board from diving under the surface of the water when the surfer is catching a wave.

    1977, Fred Hemmings, Surfing: Hawaii's Gift to the World of Sports, page 59

14. broadcastingA kind of floodlight with a reflector.
15. datedslangA haul of money made through speculation.
16. entertainmentA note that begins slightly below and slides up to the target pitch.

    Jazz symbols include many contoured articulations and inflections, such as doits, fall-offs, and scoops.

    1995, Music & Computers, volume 1, numbers 2-4, page 57

17. collectiverareA group of pelicans.

    A scoop of pelicans gather in Brockliss Slough just below Genoa.

    2025 July 1, Kurt Hildebrand, “Monsoon season underway in Southwest”, in The Record-Courier

    2 more examples

    A scoop of pelicans roosts on the rocks late Sunday afternoon at Natural Bridges State Beach as a surfer rides a wave.

    2025 November 24, Shmuel Thaler, Santa Cruz Sentinel

    TThe Egyptian goose (circled) was spotted in a scoop of pelicans.

    2023 January 9, Himanshu Kaushik, “Rare sighting”, in The Times of India

present singular third person scoops · participle present scooping · participle past scooped · past scooped

1. transitiveTo lift, move, or collect with a scoop or as though with a scoop.

   He used both hands to scoop water and splash it on his face.

   1 more example

   Their first clear opportunity duly came courtesy of a mistake from Russell Martin, who was hustled off the ball by Bale, but the midfielder scooped his finish well over the top as he bore down on the Norwich goal.

   2011 December 27, Mike Henson, “Norwich 0 - 2 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport

2. transitiveTo make hollow; to dig out.

   I tried scooping a hole in the sand with my fingers.

3. transitiveTo report on something, especially something worthy of a news article, before (someone else).

   The paper across town scooped them on the City Hall scandal.

4. oftenentertainmentTo begin a vocal note slightly below the target pitch and then to slide up to the target pitch, especially in country music.
5. slangTo pick (someone) up

   You have a car. Can you come and scoop me?

6. slangcard gamesTo win the entire pot in a hand in which the pot was split.