From Middle English stoupen, from Old English stūpian (“to bow, bend”), from Proto-West Germanic *stūpōn, from Proto-Germanic *stūpōną, *stūpijaną (“to stand out”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewb- (“to push, butt, knock”). Compare steep. Cognate with Dutch stuipen (“to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward”), Old Norse stúpa (“to stoop”). Related also to Old Frisian stēpa (“to help”), Old Norse steypa (“to cause to stoop, cast down, overthrow”).
Meanings
A stooping, bent position of the body.
Theo Walcott's final pass has often drawn criticism but there could be no complaint in the 11th minute when his perfect delivery to the far post only required a stoop and a nod of the head from Young to put England ahead. 2011, Phil McNulty, Euro 2012: Montenegro 2-2 England:
The old man walked with a stoop.
An accelerated descent in flight, as that for an attack.
At length the hawk got the upper hand, and made a rushing stoop at her quarry 1819, “Bracebridge Hall”, in Hawking, Washington Irving:
From Middle English stoupen, from Old English stūpian (“to bow, bend”), from Proto-West Germanic *stūpōn, from Proto-Germanic *stūpōną, *stūpijaną (“to stand out”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewb- (“to push, butt, knock”). Compare steep. Cognate with Dutch stuipen (“to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward”), Old Norse stúpa (“to stoop”). Related also to Old Frisian stēpa (“to help”), Old Norse steypa (“to cause to stoop, cast down, overthrow”).
Meanings
To bend the upper part of the body forward and downward to a half-squatting position; crouch.
Pedersen took a short corner and El-Hadji Diouf was given time to send in a cross for Mame Diouf to stoop and head home from close range. 2010 December 28, Kevin Darlin, “West Brom 1 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC:
He stooped to tie his shoe-laces.
Their walk had continued not more than ten minutes when they crossed a creek by a wooden bridge and came to a row of mean houses standing flush with the street. At the door of one, an old black woman had stooped to lift a large basket, piled high with laundered clothes. 1900, Charles W[addell] Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC:
To lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals.
Can you believe that a salesman would stoop so low as to hide his customers' car keys until they agreed to the purchase?
(intransitive) Of a bird of prey: to swoop down on its prey.
Presently the bird stooped and seized a salmon, and a violent struggle ensued. 1882, [1875], Thomas Bewick, James Reiveley, William Harvey, The Parlour Menagerie, 4th edition, page 63:
the holy eagle
Stoop'd, as to foote vs: his Ascension is
More sweet then our blest Fields 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]:
(transitive) To cause to incline downward; to slant.
to stoop a cask of liquor
(transitive) To cause to submit; to prostrate.
Many of those whose states so tempt thine ears / Are stoopt by death; and many left alive. 1614–1615, Homer, “(please specify the book number)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. […], London: […] Rich[ard] Field [and William Jaggard], for Nathaniell Butter, published 1615, →OCLC; republished in The Odysseys of Homer, […], volume (please specify the book number), London: John Russell Smith, […], 1857, →OCLC:
To yield; to submit; to bend, as by compulsion; to assume a position of humility or subjection.
Theſe, theſe are Arts, my Prince, / In which your Zama does not ſtoop to Rome. 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene iv, page 9:
Mighty in her ships stood Carthage long, […] / Yet stooped to Rome, less wealthy, but more strong. 1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, 1666. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, (please specify the stanza number):
The grasse stoops not, she treads on it so light 1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC:
To descend from rank or dignity; to condescend.
Where men of great wealth do stoop to husbandry, it multiplieth riches exceedingly. 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Riches”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
bend down (bend oneself forwards and downwards) · squat (bend oneself forwards and downwards) · crouch (bend oneself forwards and downwards)
Translations (84)
mi taituku (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · fi kumartua (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · bg пикирам (to swoop down on its prey) · cmn 彎腰 /弯腰 (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · mi whakaanea (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · bg унижа се (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · bg навеждам се (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · es agacharse (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · eo kurbiĝi (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · mi korotuohu (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · eo kliniĝi (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · es rebajarse (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · ro a se apleca (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · no bukke (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · pl pochylać się (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · ru опуска́ться (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · mi tūpou (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · hu lecsap (to swoop down on its prey) · pl nachylać się (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · cs klesnout (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · bg наведа се (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · ja 屈む (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · hu meghajol (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · uk нахили́тися (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · gd crom (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · mi nāupe (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · de sich erniedrigen (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · pt curvar-se (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · bg спускам се (to swoop down on its prey) · bg унижавам се (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · de sich herabwürdigen (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · ru па́дать (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · mi ngunu (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · cmn 俯下 (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · fi alentua (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · sv böja (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · mk се спу́шти (to swoop down on its prey) · fr piquer (to swoop down on its prey) · ru нагну́ться (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · hu lehajol (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · cs sklonit se (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · ko 구부리다 (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · de sich stürzen (to swoop down on its prey) · cs snížit se (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · mk се на́фрли (to swoop down on its prey) · mk се спу́шти (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · pt inclinar-se (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · uk нагина́тися (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · ru пики́ровать (to swoop down on its prey) · enm stoupen (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · grc κύπτω (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · de sich bücken (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · fr se baisser (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · uk нахиля́тися (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · ru нагиба́ться (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · bg спусна се (to swoop down on its prey) · mk се на́ведне (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · cs sehnout se (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · cs ohnout se (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · da bukke (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · az şığımaq (to swoop down on its prey) · pl zniżać się (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · pl schylić się (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · pl pochylić się (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · de sich beugen (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · ru унижа́ться (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · mi wharara (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · fr s'abaisser à (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · pl nachylić się (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · fr se pencher (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · gd lùb (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · gv croym (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · fi syöksyä (to swoop down on its prey) · pl zniżyć się (to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals) · ang lūtan (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · pl schylać się (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · lb sech bécken (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · mi korotuahu (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · zyp bung (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · mi tāpapa (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · ru наклони́ться (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · ru наклоня́ться (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · uk нагну́тися (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward) · nl bukken (to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward)
From Middle English stope, stoupe, from Old Norse staup (“dip, well, cup”), from Proto-Germanic *staupą, related to the verb *staupijaną (“to steep”). Related to Old English stēap (“drinking vessel, cup, flagon, stoop”).
Meanings
A vessel for holding liquids; like a flagon but without the spout.
Borrowed from Dutch stoep (“platform", "pavement”). Doublet of stoep. Cognate with step.
Meanings
(Canada, New-Jersey, New-York, also, qualifier:Connecticut) The staircase and landing or porch leading to the entrance of a residence.
Nearly all the houses were built with their gables to the streets and each had heavy wooden Dutch stoops, with seats, at its door. 1856, James Fenimore Cooper, Satanstoe or The Littlepage Manuscripts: A Tale of the Colony, London, page 110:
The guard at the door coughed up blood, and died instantly. Fina was carrying an empty rifle with a sharpened bayonet, and she'd thrust it straight up through his neck, severing the spinal cord. She levered him off the front stoop and into the bushes, then stood up on the tips of her toes to peer through the window in the door. 2023 October 12, HarryBlank, “Fire in the Hole”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 22 May 2024:
...the entrance being at the side of the house and reached by a low front stoop with four or five risers... 1905 Carpentry and Building, vol. 27 (January 1905), NY: David Williams Company, page 2
(US) The threshold of a doorway; a doorstep.
She grins at me and lifts her walker over the stoop. 1999, Nora Gallagher, Things Seen and Unseen: A Year Lived in Faith, page 115:
A short flight of iron steps leads up to it and a storm door is built over the stoop, forming a little vestibule, and serving to keep out the gusts. 1902, Gustav Kobbé, Signora: a child of the opera house, page 15:
Holding her breath while she set one foot over the stoop and followed it up into the house 1997, Peter S. Feibleman, A place without twilight, page 15:
You better hurry up and get strong, if you going to carry me across the stoop. 1975, Laurraine Goreau, Just Mahalia, Baby: The Mahalia Jackson Story, page 248: