Category:Swoop

Swoop, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Swooped; p. pr. & vb. n. Swooping.] Etym: [oe. swopen, usually, to sweep, as. swapan to sweep, to rush; akin to G. schweifen to rove, to ramble, to curve, ohg. sweifan to whirl, Icel. sveipa to sweep; also to as. swifan to move quickly. Cf. Sweep, Swift, a. & n., Swipe, swivel.]

1. To fall on at once and seize; to catch while on the wing; as, a Hawk swoops a chicken.

2. To seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep. And now at last you came to swoop it all. Dryden. The grazing ox which swoops it [the medicinal herb] in with the Common grass. Glanvill.

Swoop Swoop, v. i.

1. To descend with closed wings from a height upon prey, as a hawk; To swoop.

2. To pass with pomp; to sweep. [obs.] Drayton.

Swoop Swoop, n.

Defn: a falling on and seizing, as the prey of a rapacious bird; the Act of swooping. The eagle fell,. . . and carried away a whole litter of cubs at a Swoop. L'estrange.