stoop

Plural: stoops

Noun

an inclination of the top half of the body forward and downward
basin for holy water
small porch or set of steps at the front entrance of a house
A stooping, bent position of the body.
An accelerated descent in flight, as that for an attack.
A vessel for holding liquids; like a flagon but without the spout.
The staircase and landing or porch leading to the entrance of a residence.
The threshold of a doorway; a doorstep.
A post or pillar, especially a gatepost or a support in a mine.

Verb

Verb Forms: stooped, stooping, stoops

To bend the body forward and downward; to condescend.
bend one's back forward from the waist on down
- "The young man stooped to pick up the girl's purse"
debase oneself morally, act in an undignified, unworthy, or dishonorable way
- "I won't stoop to reading other people's mail"
descend swiftly, as if on prey
- "The eagle stooped on the mice in the field"
sag, bend, bend over or down
- "the rocks stooped down over the hiking path"
carry oneself, often habitually, with head, shoulders, and upper back bent forward
- "The old man was stooping but he could walk around without a cane"
To bend the upper part of the body forward and downward to a half-squatting position; crouch.
To lower oneself; to demean or do something below one's status, standards, or morals.
Of a bird of prey: to swoop down on its prey.
To cause to incline downward; to slant.
To cause to submit; to prostrate.
To yield; to submit; to bend, as by compulsion; to assume a position of humility or subjection.
To descend from rank or dignity; to condescend.

Examples

Can you believe that a salesman would stoop so low as to hide his customers' car keys until they agreed to the purchase?
He stooped to tie his shoe-laces.
He would not STOOP to using obscure two-letter words just to win.
The old man walked with a stoop.
to stoop a cask of liquor

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English stoupen, from Old English stūpian (“to bow, bend”), from Proto-West Germanic *stūpōn, from Proto-Germanic *stūpōną, *stūpijaną (“to stand out”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewb- (“to push, butt, knock”). Compare steep. Cognate with Dutch stuipen (“to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward”), Old Norse stúpa (“to stoop”). Related also to Old Frisian stēpa (“to help”), Old Norse steypa (“to cause to stoop, cast down, overthrow”).

Synonyms

bend, bow, condescend, crouch, lower oneself, stoep, stoup, bend down, doorstep, porch, squat, step, verandah

Scrabble Score: 7

stoop: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
stoop: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
stoop: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 8

stoop: valid Words With Friends Word