I. swoop 1 /swuːp/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: swope 'to sweep' (11-19 centuries) , from Old English swapan ; ⇨ ↑ sweep 1 ]
1 . if a bird or aircraft swoops, it moves suddenly down through the air, especially in order to attack something:
The eagle hovered, ready to swoop at any moment.
swoop down/over/across etc
A helicopter suddenly swooped down.
2 . written if the police, army etc swoop on a place, they go there without any warning in order to look for someone or something
swoop on
Drug officers swooped on several addresses in London last night.
II. swoop 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . a sudden surprise attack on a place in order to get something or take people away – used especially in news reports
swoop on
Police arrested a man in a swoop on his house last night.
2 . a swooping movement or action
⇨ at/in one fell swoop at ↑ fell 4