■ verb
1》 (especially of a bird) move rapidly downwards through the air.
↘carry out a sudden raid.
2》 informal seize with a sweeping motion.
■ noun an act of ~ing.
Phrases
at (or in ) one fell ~ see fell 4 .
Origin
C16 (in the sense 'sweep along in a stately manner'): perh. a dialect var. of OE swāpan (see sweep ).