swoop

C1 Topic:Verbs of Movement

US /swuːp/ UK /swuːp/ See IPA manual

Freq #15916

Meanings

1

verb
to move rapidly downward through the air, often curving upward again

An eagle began to swoop toward the fish near the surface.
2

verb
to act suddenly and decisively, especially to seize, arrest, or rescue someone

Police planned to swoop on the warehouse before dawn.
3

noun
a fast downward movement or a sudden, sweeping action

With one swoop, the hawk carried the mouse away.
4

noun
a rapid slide from one musical pitch to another

The singer ended the phrase with a dramatic downward swoop.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to move rapidly downward... dive plunge descend

2 verb · to act suddenly and... raid pounce descend

3 noun · a fast downward movement or... dive descent raid

4 noun · a rapid slide from one... glissandoslide

Opposites

climb ascend

Word family

Forms swoopedswoopingswoops

Related forms sweep

Common collocations

swoop up Verb + adverb

Etymology

From Middle English swopen, from Old English swapan ('to sweep'). The modern w was probably restored under the influence of sweep. The word's core image is a broad, sweeping motion, which developed into the rapid descent of a bird and then a sudden raid or intervention.

Topics

Verbs of Movement

External links

# swoop

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /swuːp/
**IPA (UK):** /swuːp/
**Frequency rank:** 15916

## Meanings
1. to move rapidly downward through the air, often curving upward again
2. to act suddenly and decisively, especially to seize, arrest, or rescue someone
3. a fast downward movement or a sudden, sweeping action
4. a rapid slide from one musical pitch to another

## Examples
- An eagle began to swoop toward the fish near the surface.
- Police planned to swoop on the warehouse before dawn.
- With one swoop, the hawk carried the mouse away.
- The singer ended the phrase with a dramatic downward swoop.

## Synonyms
- dive
- plunge
- pounce
- raid
- descent

## Antonyms
- climb
- ascend

## Related Forms
- sweep

## Etymology
From Middle English swopen, from Old English swapan ('to sweep'). The modern w was probably restored under the influence of sweep. The word's core image is a broad, sweeping motion, which developed into the rapid descent of a bird and then a sudden raid or intervention.

## Topics
- Verbs of Movement

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