(swoops, swooping, swooped)
1.
If police or soldiers swoop on a place, they go there suddenly and quickly, usually in order to arrest someone or to attack the place. (JOURNALISM)
The terror ended when armed police swooped on the car...
The drugs squad swooped and discovered 240 kilograms of cannabis.
VERB: V on n, V
•
Swoop is also a noun.
Police held 10 suspected illegal immigrants after a swoop on a German lorry.
N-COUNT
2.
When a bird or aeroplane swoops, it suddenly moves downwards through the air in a smooth curving movement.
More than 20 helicopters began swooping in low over the ocean...
The hawk swooped and soared away carrying something.
VERB: V adv/prep, V
3.
If something is done in one fell swoop or at one fell swoop, it is done on a single occasion or by a single action.
In one fell swoop the bank wiped away the tentative benefits of this policy.
PHRASE: PHR with cl