Quote:
Originally Posted by Elli
Actually, I believe it's from "one fell swoop." Fell in this case meaning hellish or evil.
fell 2 (fl)
adj.
1. Of an inhumanly cruel nature; fierce: fell hordes.
2. Capable of destroying; lethal: a fell blow.
3. Dire; sinister: by some fell chance.
4. Scots Sharp and biting.
Idiom:
at/in one fell swoop
All at once.
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The term actually came to great use when there were a lot of the animal plante type shows on in the 70's. Most of the time, when they wanted to show something striking, they would show a hawk or Eagle grab its prey, and they used the term. it was a " Fatal swoop " but they would say in " IN one fatal swoop " meaning to kill in the down swoop of flight.
But you never know.