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at one fell swoop

 - 3 dictionary results

swoop

  [swoop] ,
Use at one fell swoop in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to sweep through the air, as a bird or a bat, esp. down upon prey.
2. to come down upon something in a sudden, swift attack (often fol. by down and on or upon): The army swooped down on the town.
–verb (used with object)
3. to take, lift, scoop up, or remove with or as with one sweeping motion (often fol. by up, away, or off): He swooped her up in his arms.
–noun
4. an act or instance of swooping; a sudden, swift descent.
—Idiom
5. at or in one fell swoop, all at once or all together, as if by one blow: The quake flattened the houses at one fell swoop.
Origin:
1535–45; var. (with close ō) of ME swopen, OE swāpan to sweep 1 ; c. G schweifen

Synonyms:
4. dive, plunge, sweep, drop.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To at one fell swoop
fell 2   (fěl)   
adj.  

  1. Of an inhumanly cruel nature; fierce: fell hordes.

  2. Capable of destroying; lethal: a fell blow.

  3. Dire; sinister: by some fell chance.

  4. Scots Sharp and biting.


[Middle English fel, from Old French, variant of felon; see felon1.]
fell'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Idioms & Phrases

at one fell swoop

see one fell swoop.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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