swoop

present singular third person swoops · participle present swooping · participle past swooped · past swooped

1. intransitiveTo 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.

   Synonyms: stoop

2. intransitiveTo move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement, especially to attack something.

   The dog had enthusiastically swooped down on the bone.

   2 more examples

   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.

   1921 June, Margery Williams, “The Velveteen Rabbit: Or How Toys Become Real”, in Harper’s Bazar, volume LVI, number 6 (2504 overall), New York, N.Y.: International Magazine Company, →ISSN, →OCLC

   Bridge of Weir: Protection of the site of the former Kilmacolm branch station (closed on January 3 1983) has been lifted, and developers have swooped in with plans for new housing.

   2022 January 12, Howard Johnston, “Regional News: Scotland”, in RAIL, number 948, page 19

3. transitiveTo fall on at once and seize; to catch while on the wing.

   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?

   Quoted in 1971, The Scriblerian (volumes 4-5, page 2)

4. transitiveTo seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep.

   And now at last you come to swoop it all.

   1670, John Dryden, The Conquest of Granada

   1 more example

   Thus the Phyſitian looks with another Eye on the Medicinal hearb, then the grazing Oxe, which ſwoops it in with the common graſs: […]

   1661, Joseph Glanvill, “An Apology for Philosophy”, in The Vanity of Dogmatizing: Or Confidence in Opinions. […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC, page 247

5. intransitiveTo pass with pomp; to sweep.

   Proude Tamer swoopes along, with such a lustie traine / As fits so brave a flood two Countries that divides: […]

   1612, Michael Drayton, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [John Selden], editor, Poly-Olbion. Or A Chorographicall Description of Tracts, Riuers, Mountaines, Forests, and Other Parts of this Renowned Isle of Great Britaine, […], London: […] [Humphrey Lownes] for M[athew] Lownes; I[ohn] Browne; I[ohn] Helme; I[ohn] Busbie, →OCLC, page 6

6. UKslangTo search the ground for discarded cigarette butts that can be made into new cigarettes.

   He was forever diving into dustbins or swooping on to the ground for cigarette ends.

   1989, Michael Bettsworth, Marking Time: A Prison Memoir, page 32

   1 more example

   Swooping is picking up discarded cigarette butts from the exercise yard and anywhere else they can be found.

   2015, Noel 'Razor' Smith, The Criminal Alphabet: An A-Z of Prison Slang

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

   2 more examples

   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.

   1922, Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit

   The switchback road to Diabaig - pronounced 'Jer-vague' - passes through some of the most exhilarating scenery in Scotland. […] With a final swoop, the road plummets down into Diabaig, where cottages are dotted across the slopes of a rocky semi-circle.

   1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 151

2. 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.

   1612, John Webster, The White Devil

3. entertainmentA quick passage from one note to the next.

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

   2008, Russell Dean Vines, Composing Digital Music For Dummies, page 281

4. collectiveA group of swallows or other birds.

   There was a lark in the sky, a chatter of rooks, and the swoop of swallows arrived to-day.

   1903, William Babington Maxwell, Fabulous Fancies, G. Richards, page 161

   3 more examples

   an entire swoop of swallows plunges into a breach in time, so they can get across the pass at just the right moment.

   2022, Baptiste Morizot, Ways of Being Alive, Polity Press

   A swoop of birds fly overhead, their shadows patterning the ground, but the sheep keep the stripes of their orange eyes on me, and even though I have nothing to offer, they follow me, on the other side of the fence.

   2015, Esther Freud, Mr. Mac and Me, Bloomsbury Publishing

   Lestrade tugged his muffler closer about his throat and eyed a swoop of gulls balefully as they taunted their wingtips against the water.

   2025, Marcia Wilson, A Fanged and Bitter Thing, Andrews UK Limited