verb
swoop
SWOOP
verb
1
To dive or sweep downward suddenly through the air.
"The falcon swooped down and snatched the mouse in one motion."
"The plane swooped low over the runway before landing."
noun
1
The act of swooping; a sudden downward or sweeping movement.
"In one swoop, the seagull grabbed the chip from his hand."
How to Use Swoop
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sudden, sweeping dive or attacking movement, usually downward.
Common pairings
swoop down
in one swoop
swoop in
Word Forms
swooped past tense, swoops plural, swoops singular
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The falcon _____ down and snatched the mouse in one motion.
Etymology
From Old English swāpan, "to sweep" — the same root that gave us the word sweep itself.