from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Swoop \Swoop\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Swooped}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Swooping}.] [OE. swopen, usually, to sweep, As. sw[=a]pan to
sweep, to rush; akin to G. schweifen to rove, to ramble, to
curve, OHG. sweifan to whirl, Icel. sveipa to sweep; also to
AS. sw[imac]fan to move quickly. Cf. {Sweep}, {Swift}, a. &
n., {Swipe}, {Swivel}.]
1. To fall on at once and seize; to catch while on the wing;
as, a hawk swoops a chicken.
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2. To seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep.
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And now at last you came to swoop it all. --Dryden.
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The grazing ox which swoops it [the medicinal herb]
in with the common grass. --Glanvill.
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