Definition of "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 to put England ahead.

2011, Phil McNulty, Euro 2012: Montenegro 2-2 England‎

At length the hawk got the upper hand, and made a rushing stoop at her quarry

1819, “Bracebridge Hall”, in Hawking, Washington Irving

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 had stooped to lift a large basket, piled high with laundered clothes.

1900, Charles W[addell] Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars, Boston, Mass., New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […]

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.

2010 December 28, Kevin Darlin, “West Brom 1 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC‎

the holy eagleStoop'd, as to foote vs: his Ascension isMore sweet then our blest Fields

1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene iv]

Presently the bird stooped and seized a salmon, and a violent struggle ensued.

1882, Thomas Bewick, James Reiveley, William Harvey, The Parlour Menagerie, 4th edition, page 63

Many of those whose states so tempt thine ears / Are stoopt by death; and many left alive.

1614–1615, Homer, “(please specify the book number)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. […], London: […] Rich[ard] Field [and William Jaggard], for Nathaniell Butter, published 1615; republished in The Odysseys of Homer, […], volumes (please specify the book number), London: John Russell Smith, […], 1857,

The grasse stoops not, she treads on it so lightThe spelling has been modernized.

1593, 1896

Mighty in her ships stood Carthage long, […] / Yet stooped to Rome, less wealthy, but more strong.

1668, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, M. DC. LXVI. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], (please specify the stanza number)

Theſe, theſe are Arts, my Prince, / In which your Zama does not ſtoop to Rome.

1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, Act I, scene iv, page 9

1773, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer

Where men of great wealth do stoop to husbandry, it multiplieth riches exceedingly.

1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Riches”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret

Nearly all the houses were built with their gables to the streets and each had heavy wooden Dutch stoops, with seats, at its door.

1856, James Fenimore Cooper, Satanstoe or The Littlepage Manuscripts: A Tale of the Colony, London, page 110

...the entrance being at the side of the house and reached by a low front stoop with four or five risers...

1905 Carpentry and Building, vol. 27 (January 1905), NY: David Williams Company, page 2

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.

1902, Gustav Kobbé, Signora: a child of the opera house, page 15

You better hurry up and get strong, if you going to carry me across the stoop.

1975, Laurraine Goreau, Just Mahalia, Baby: The Mahalia Jackson Story, page 248

Holding her breath while she set one foot over the stoop and followed it up into the house

1997, Peter S. Feibleman, A place without twilight‎, page 15

She grins at me and lifts her walker over the stoop.

1999, Nora Gallagher, Things Seen and Unseen: A Year Lived in Faith, page 115