swoop

Plural: swoops

Noun

(music) rapid sliding up or down the musical scale
- "the violinist was indulgent with his swoops and slides"
a very rapid raid
a swift descent through the air
An instance, or the act of suddenly plunging downward.
A sudden act of seizing.
A quick passage from one note to the next.

Verb

Verb Forms: swooped, swooping, swoops

To make a sudden, swift descent.
move down on as if in an attack
- "The raptor swooped down on its prey"
- "The teacher swooped down upon the new students"
move with a sweep, or in a swooping arc
seize or catch with a swooping motion
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.

Examples

He watched for an opportunity to swoop in with a high-scoring word on the Words With Friends board.
The dog had enthusiastically swooped down on the bone.
The lone eagle swooped down into the lake, snatching its prey, a small fish.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English swopen, from Old English swāpan (“to sweep”). Doublet of swaip. See also sweep, which was probably the basis for analogical restoration of /w/ in this word.

Synonyms

pounce, slide, swoop up

Scrabble Score: 10

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

Words With Friends Score: 11

swoop: valid Words With Friends Word