Etymology tree
Proto-Germanic *swaipaną
Proto-West Germanic *swaipan
Old English swāpan
Middle English swopen
English swoop
Inherited from Middle English swopen (“to sweep”), from Old English swāpan. Doublet of swaip. See also sweep, which was probably the basis for analogical restoration of /w/ in this word.
Meanings
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
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:
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:
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:
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. 2008, Russell Dean Vines, Composing Digital Music For Dummies, page 281:
(collective) A 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:
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:
fi syöksy (an instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downwards) · ru пикирование (an instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downwards) · mi tapakōtanga (an instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downwards) · de Sturzflug (an instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downwards) · fr précipitation (an act of rushedly doing something) · ru пике (an instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downwards) · es precipitación (an act of rushedly doing something) · bg пикиране (an instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downwards) · nl duikvlucht (an instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downwards) · es picado (an instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downwards) · es picada (an instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downwards) · es arrebato (an act of rushedly doing something) · es precipitación (an instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downwards)
Etymology tree
Proto-Germanic *swaipaną
Proto-West Germanic *swaipan
Old English swāpan
Middle English swopen
English swoop
Inherited from Middle English swopen (“to sweep”), from Old English swāpan. Doublet of swaip. See also sweep, which was probably the basis for analogical restoration of /w/ in this word.
Meanings
(intransitive) To 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.
(intransitive) To move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement, especially to attack something.
The dog had enthusiastically swooped down on the bone.
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:
(transitive) To 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)
(transitive) To seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep.
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:
And now at last you come to swoop it all. 1670, John Dryden, The Conquest of Granada:
(intransitive) To 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:
(UK, slang) To search the ground for discarded cigarette butts that can be made into new cigarettes.
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:
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:
ru налетать (to fly downwards suddenly) · gl lanzarse (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · mi whakatopa (to fly downwards suddenly) · nl neerstorten (to fly downwards suddenly) · es precipitarse (to fly downwards suddenly) · gl abalanzarse (to fly downwards suddenly) · es lanzarse / volar en picada (to fly downwards suddenly) · de herabschießen (to fly downwards suddenly) · ru пикировать (to fly downwards suddenly) · gl botarse (to fly downwards suddenly) · mi tirihou (to fly downwards suddenly) · sk vrhnúť sa (na) (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · ro zbura în picaj (to fly downwards suddenly) · cs slétnout (to fly downwards suddenly) · fi syöksyä (to fly downwards suddenly) · cs snést se (to fly downwards suddenly) · gl caer (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · cs vrhnout se dolů (to fly downwards suddenly) · fi hyökätä (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · bg пикирам (to fly downwards suddenly) · fi syöksyä (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · gl lanzarse (to fly downwards suddenly) · es abalanzarse (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · ba ташланыу (to fly downwards suddenly) · fi rynnätä (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · bg връхлитам (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · es abalanzarse (to fly downwards suddenly) · mi topa (to fly downwards suddenly) · de herabstürzen (to fly downwards suddenly) · bg спускам се (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · mi tapakō (to fly downwards suddenly) · ro plonja (to fly downwards suddenly) · tr şığımak (to fly downwards suddenly) · de stürzen (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · mi kurutohitohi (to fly downwards suddenly) · gl botarse (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · gl abalanzarse (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · th โฉบ (to fly downwards suddenly) · sk pustiť sa strmhlav (to fly downwards suddenly) · sa ध्रजति (to move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement) · az şığımaq (to fly downwards suddenly) · cs pustit se střemhlav (to fly downwards suddenly)