v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Swooped p. pr. & vb. n. Swooping. ] [ OE. swopen, usually, to sweep, As. swāpan 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. swīfan 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep. [ 1913 Webster ]

And now at last you came to swoop it all. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

The grazing ox which swoops it [ the medicinal herb ] in with the common grass. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To descend with closed wings from a height upon prey, as a hawk; to stoop. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To pass with pomp; to sweep. [ Obs. ] Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A falling on and seizing, as the prey of a rapacious bird; the act of swooping. [ 1913 Webster ]

The eagle fell, . . . and carried away a whole litter of cubs at a swoop. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Sweepstake. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Altogether; indiscriminately. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]