In one fell swoop Meaning in English
expression
in WUN FEL SWOOP
in WON FEL SWOOP
Definition
All at once or in a single, sudden action, instead of step by step.
Usage & Nuances
This is a somewhat literary or formal idiom, often used to emphasize that many things happened together or something big changed suddenly. Common in both spoken and written English. Sometimes used to suggest surprise at the speed or scale of the action.
Spanish: de una sola vez - de golpePortuguese (BR): de uma só vez - de repentePortuguese (PT): de uma só vez - de repenteChinese (Simplified): 一举 - 一下子Chinese (Traditional): 一舉 - 一下子Hindi: एक ही झटके मेंArabic: دفعة واحدة - مرة واحدةBengali: এক ঝটকায় - একসাথেRussian: одним махомJapanese: 一気にVietnamese: một lần là xong - trong nháy mắtKorean: 한 번에 - 한순간에Turkish: tek seferde - bir andaUrdu: ایک ہی جھٹکے میںIndonesian: sekali jalan - sekaligus
Example Sentences
All the trees were cut down in one fell swoop.
basic
He deleted all his files in one fell swoop.
basic
We finished the work in one fell swoop.
basic
They fired half the staff in one fell swoop and everyone was shocked.
natural
If you pay off your loan in one fell swoop, you'll save a lot of interest.
natural
The company changed its policies in one fell swoop, and nobody had time to react.
natural