stoop
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stoop¹
- /stuːp/ UK
- /stup/ US
- /stʉp/ Northern Ireland, Scotland
Rhymes with -uːp
Where it comes from
From 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”).
noun stoops
-
A stooping, bent position of the body.
The old man walked with a stoop.
Similar: hunch
- 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
verb stoops · stooping · stooped
- To bend the upper part of the body forward and downward to a half-squatting position; crouch. He stooped to tie his shoe-laces.
- 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?
- Of 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
- To cause to incline downward; to slant. to stoop a cask of liquor
- To 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
- To descend from rank or dignity; to condescend. Where men of great wealth do stoop to husbandry, it multiplieth riches exceedingly.
stoop²
- /stuːp/ UK
- /stup/ US
- /stʉp/ Northern Ireland, Scotland
Rhymes with -uːp
Where it comes from
From Middle English stope, stoupe, from Old Norse staup (“dip, well, cup”), from Proto-Germanic *staupą, related to the verb *staupijaną (“to steep”). Related to Old English stēap (“drinking vessel, cup, flagon, stoop”).
noun stoops · stoup · stowp
- A vessel for holding liquids; like a flagon but without the spout.
stoop³
- /stuːp/ UK
- /stup/ US
- /stʉp/ Northern Ireland, Scotland
Rhymes with -uːp
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Dutch stoep (“platform", "pavement”). Doublet of stoep. Cognate with step.
noun stoops
- The 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 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.
stoop⁴
- /stuːp/ UK
- /stup/ US
- /stʉp/ Northern Ireland, Scotland
Rhymes with -uːp
Where it comes from
From Middle English stoupe, stulpe, from Old Norse stólpi (“post, pillar”), from Proto-Germanic *stulpô.
noun stoops · stoup
- A post or pillar, especially a gatepost or a support in a mine.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: stoep, bow, stoup, bend, crouch, descend, condescend, lower oneself, doorstep, doorway, porch, door, ready, loan, deign, hunch
Translations
Every language
noun body position
| Deutsch | gebückte Haltung |
|---|
verb to bend the upper part of the body forward and downward
| Español | agacharse |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 구부리다 guburida |
| 日本語 | 屈む kagamu |
| 中文 | 彎腰 /弯腰 wānyāo, 俯下 fǔxià |
| Português | inclinar-se, curvar-se |
| Français | se baisser, se pencher |
| Deutsch | sich bücken, sich beugen |
| Română | a se apleca |
| Русский | нагиба́ться nagibátʹsja, нагну́ться nagnútʹsja, наклоня́ться naklonjátʹsja, наклони́ться naklonítʹsja |
verb to lower oneself; to demean oneself in doing something below one's status, standards, or morals
| Español | rebajarse |
|---|---|
| Français | s'abaisser à |
| Deutsch | sich erniedrigen, sich herabwürdigen |
| Русский | опуска́ться opuskátʹsja, па́дать pádatʹ, унижа́ться unižátʹsja |
verb to swoop down on its prey
| Français | piquer |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | sich stürzen |
| Русский | пики́ровать pikírovatʹ |
Talk about this word "stoop." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/stoop. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. stoop. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/stoop "stoop." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/stoop.Cite this
@misc{stoop_2026,
title = {stoop},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/stoop},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
