swoop

Meanings

Verb

• To fly or glide downwards suddenly; to plunge (in the air) or nosedive.
• To move swiftly, as if with a sweeping movement, especially to attack something.
• To fall on at once and seize; to catch while on the wing.
• To seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep.
• To pass with pomp; to sweep.
• To search the ground for discarded cigarette butts that can be made into new cigarettes.

Noun

• An instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downward.
• A sudden act of seizing.
• A quick passage from one note to the next.

Origin

• From Middle English swopen, from Old English swāpan ("to sweep"). See also sweep.