English Dictionary
Definition of “stoop”
1stoop1 (stuːp
)
Definitions
verb (mainly intr)
- (also tr) to bend (the body or the top half of the body) forward and downward
- to carry oneself with head and shoulders habitually bent forward
- (often foll by to) to abase or degrade oneself
- (often foll by to) to condescend; deign
- (of a bird of prey) to swoop down
- archaic to give in
noun
- the act, position, or characteristic of stooping
- a lowering from a position of dignity or superiority
- a downward swoop, esp of a bird of prey
Alternative Forms
ˈstooper noun ˈstooping adjective ˈstoopingly adverb Word Origin
Old English stūpan; related to Middle Dutch stupen to bow, Old Norse stūpa, Norwegian stupa to fall; see steepOld English related to Middle Dutch to bow, Old Norse Norwegian to fall; see 1
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
hunch,
walk with a stoop be bowed or round-shouldered
2stoop2 (stuːp
)
Definitions
noun
- US Canadian a small platform with steps up to it at the entrance to a building
Word Origin
C18: from Dutch stoep, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German stuofa stair, Old English stōpel footprint; see step
3stoop3 (stuːp
)
Definitions
noun
- archaic a pillar or post
Word Origin
C15: variant of dialect stulpe, probably from Old Norse stolpe; see stele
4stoop4 (stuːp
)
Definitions
noun
- a less common spelling of stoup
stoup or stoop(stuːp
)
Definitions
noun
- a small basin for holy water
- Also stowpScottish Northern England dialect a bucket or drinking vessel
Word Origin
C14 (in the sense: bucket): of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse staup beaker, Old English stēap flagon; see steepC14 (in the sense: bucket): of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse beaker, Old English flagon; see 1
Usage examples
The fragrance had brought back the memory of her sitting on Orphan's rickety stoop , talking about the world.
Tepper, Sheri S., A Plague of Angels (1993)"The changes she may be contemplating in the near future will indicate how much Sonia is willing to stoop in order to conquer.
India Today (2003)DESCRIPTION: Shots of D'Talle, musicians visiting from Cuba, pose on the stoop of the house they're renting in Toronto.
Toronto Sun (2003)So they stoop to either making things up or pushing their own agendas.
Sun, News of the World (2001)The tightness and contractions of his body had eased; the stoop had gone from his shoulders.
MacLehose, Christopher (ed.), Turning the Page: Essays, Memoirs, Fiction, Poetry and One Sermon (1993)