/stuːp/
OriginFrom Middle English stoupen, from Old English stūpian (“to bow, bend”), from Proto-West Germanic *stūpōn, from Proto-Germanic *stūpōną, *stūpijaną (“to stand out”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewb- (“to push, butt, knock”). Compare steep. Cognate with Dutch stuipen (“to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward”), Old Norse stúpa (“to stoop”). Related also to Old Frisian stēpa (“to help”), Old Norse steypa (“to cause to stoop, cast down, overthrow”).
- A stooping, bent position of the body.
“The old man walked with a stoop.”
“Theo Walcott's final pass has often drawn criticism but there could be no complaint in the 11th minute when his perfect delivery to the far post only required a stoop and a nod of the head from Young ”
- An accelerated descent in flight, as that for an attack.
“At length the hawk got the upper hand, and made a rushing stoop at her quarry”
- A vessel for holding liquids; like a flagon but without the spout.
- Canada, New-Jersey, New-York, alsoThe staircase and landing or porch leading to the entrance of a residence.
“Nearly all the houses were built with their gables to the streets and each had heavy wooden Dutch stoops, with seats, at its door.”
“...the entrance being at the side of the house and reached by a low front stoop with four or five risers...”
“The guard at the door coughed up blood, and died instantly. Fina was carrying an empty rifle with a sharpened bayonet, and she'd thrust it straight up through his neck, severing the spinal cord. She l”
- USThe threshold of a doorway; a doorstep.
“A short flight of iron steps leads up to it and a storm door is built over the stoop, forming a little vestibule, and serving to keep out the gusts.”
“You better hurry up and get strong, if you going to carry me across the stoop.”
“Holding her breath while she set one foot over the stoop and followed it up into the house”
- dialectalA post or pillar, especially a gatepost or a support in a mine.
- To bend the upper part of the body forward and downward to a half-squatting position; crouch.
“He stooped to tie his shoe-laces.”
“Their walk had continued not more than ten minutes when they crossed a creek by a wooden bridge and came to a row of mean houses standing flush with the street. At the door of one, an old black woman ”
“Pedersen took a short corner and El-Hadji Diouf was given time to send in a cross for Mame Diouf to stoop and head home from close range.”
- To lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals.
“Can you believe that a salesman would stoop so low as to hide his customers' car keys until they agreed to the purchase?”
- intransitiveOf a bird of prey: to swoop down on its prey.
“the holy eagle
Stoop'd, as to foote vs: his Ascension is
More sweet then our blest Fields”
“Presently the bird stooped and seized a salmon, and a violent struggle ensued.”
- transitiveTo cause to incline downward; to slant.
“to stoop a cask of liquor”
- transitiveTo cause to submit; to prostrate.
“Many of those whose states so tempt thine ears / Are stoopt by death; and many left alive.”
- To yield; to submit; to bend, as by compulsion; to assume a position of humility or subjection.
“The grasse stoops not, she treads on it so light”
“Mighty in her ships stood Carthage long, […] / Yet stooped to Rome, less wealthy, but more strong.”
“Theſe, theſe are Arts, my Prince, / In which your Zama does not ſtoop to Rome.”
- To descend from rank or dignity; to condescend.
“Where men of great wealth do stoop to husbandry, it multiplieth riches exceedingly.”
Formsstoops(plural) · stoops(present, singular, third-person) · stooping(participle, present) · stooped(participle, past) · stooped(past) · stoup(alternative) · stowp(alternative)