One fell swoop
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
A single sudden action that affects or disposes of everything concerned. Fell is an archaic adjective meaning fierce or deadly. 'One foul swoop' and 'one fail swoop' are common alterations but are not historical forms. Regional use: Origin in English drama; now international English.
Origin
In Macbeth, written around 1606, Macduff likens the murder of his wife and children to a predatory kite taking all the chickens 'at one fell swoop'. Fell here means fierce, cruel or deadly, not fallen, while swoop is the bird's rapid descent. Modern use preserves the idea of one comprehensive action but usually loses the original horror and predatory force.
Research Sources
Variants
- At one fell swoop
- In one fell swoop
Usage Examples
- The software update fixed all three reporting errors in one fell swoop.
- Closing the depot would remove jobs, services and local expertise at one fell swoop.
- She cleared the table in one fell swoop before the guests arrived.