stoop

¹

[ stoop ]

verb (used without object)

1. to bend the head and shoulders, or the body generally, forward and downward from an erect position:

   to stoop over a desk.

   Synonyms: crouch, lean

2. to carry the head and shoulders habitually bowed forward:

   to stoop from age.

3. (of trees, precipices, etc.) to bend, bow, or lean.
4. to descend from one's level of dignity; condescend; deign:

   Don't stoop to argue with him.

5. to swoop down, as a hawk at prey.
6. to submit; yield.
7. Obsolete. to come down from a height.

verb (used with object)

1. to bend (oneself, one's head, etc.) forward and downward.
2. Archaic. to abase, humble, or subdue.

noun

1. the act or an instance of stooping.
2. a stooping position or carriage of body:

   The elderly man walked with a stoop.

3. a descent from dignity or superiority.
4. a downward swoop, as of a hawk.

stoop

²

[ stoop ]

noun

1. a small porch or platform at the entrance to a house, or the steps leading up to it.

stoop

³

[ stoop ]

noun

1. stoup.

stoop

¹

/ stuːp /

verb

1. also tr to bend (the body or the top half of the body) forward and downward
2. to carry oneself with head and shoulders habitually bent forward
3. often foll by to to abase or degrade oneself
4. often foll by to to condescend; deign
5. (of a bird of prey) to swoop down
6. archaic.
   to give in

noun

1. the act, position, or characteristic of stooping
2. a lowering from a position of dignity or superiority
3. a downward swoop, esp of a bird of prey

stoop

²

/ stuːp /

noun

1. a less common spelling of stoup

stoop

³

/ stuːp /

noun

1. archaic.
   a pillar or post

stoop

⁴

/ stuːp /

noun

1. a small platform with steps up to it at the entrance to a building

Derived Forms

• ˈstooping, adjective
• ˈstoopingly, adverb
• ˈstooper, noun

Other Words From

• stooper noun
• stooping·ly adverb
• non·stooping adjective
• un·stooped adjective
• un·stooping adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stoop¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb stoupen, stupen, Old English stūpian; cognate with Middle Dutch stūpen “to bend, bow”; akin to steep ¹

Origin of stoop²

An Americanism dating back to 1670–80; from Dutch stoep; cognate with Middle Low German stōpe, German Stufe “step (in a stair)”; step

Word History and Origins

Origin of stoop¹

Old English stūpan; related to Middle Dutch stupen to bow, Old Norse stūpa, Norwegian stupa to fall; see steep ¹

Origin of stoop²

C15: variant of dialect stulpe, probably from Old Norse stolpe; see stele

Origin of stoop³

C18: from Dutch stoep, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German stuofa stair, Old English stōpel footprint; see step

Synonym Study

See bend ¹.

Example Sentences

Mr Emlyn Jones KC asked: "How low will you stoop?"

From BBC

England A will host Australia A at Twickenham Stoop on Sunday, a game which follows February's 91-5 victory over Portugal that marked the return of A fixtures after eight years.

From BBC

I interrupted a man I’ll call Andre as he and two women unloaded groceries from a car, spoke with him for half an hour while he sat on his stoop, holding a noticeably sturdy leash on a pitbull whose gray head and golden eyes never stopped tracking me.

From Salon

It is tragic that the Washington Post, which once employed Ben Bagdikian would stoop to showing cowardice in the face of this historic challenge.

From Salon

And although he could find a way to ask Ohtani’s parents to help him get their son’s blessing for his ultimate goal of establishing an official Ohtani museum in the city, he refuses to stoop so low.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crouch
• hunch
• squat