v.
- (especially of a bird) move rapidly downwards through the air.
▸carry out a sudden raid.
- informal seize with a sweeping motion.
n.
an act of swooping.
Phrase
- at
(or in)
one fell swoop
see fell4.
Etymology
C16 (in the sense ‘sweep along in a stately manner’): perh. a dial. var. of OE swāpan (see sweep).
