swoop: Meaning and Definition of

swoop

Pronunciation: (swp), [key]
— v.i.
  1. to sweep through the air, as a bird or a bat, esp. down upon prey.
  2. to come down upon something in a sudden, swift attack (often fol. by down and on or upon): The army swooped down on the town.
—v.t.
  1. to take, lift, scoop up, or remove with or as with one sweeping motion (often fol. by up, away, or off): He swooped her up in his arms.
—n.
  1. an act or instance of swooping; a sudden, swift descent.
  2. all at once or all together, as if by one blow: The quake flattened the houses at one fell swoop.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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