STOOPING
hunched, round-backed, round-shouldered, stooped, stooping, crooked
(adjective) having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect; “a little oldish misshapen stooping woman”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Adjective
stooping (comparative more stooping, superlative most stooping)
Bending the body forward; yielding; submitting; condescending; inclining.
Verb
stooping
present participle of stoop
Noun
stooping (plural stoopings)
The act of one who stoops.
Source: Wiktionary
Stoop"ing, a. & n.
Definition: from Stoop.
– Stoop"ing*ly, adv.
STOOP
Stoop, n. Etym: [D. stoep.] (Arch.)
Definition: Originally, a covered porch with seats, at a house door; the
Dutch stoep as introduced by the Dutch into New York. Afterward, an
out-of-door flight of stairs of from seven to fourteen steps, with
platform and parapets, leading to an entrance door some distance
above the street; the French perron. Hence, any porch, platform,
entrance stairway, or small veranda, at a house door. [U. S.]
Stoop, n. Etym: [OE. stope, Icel. staup; akin to AS. steáp, D. stoop,
G. stauf, OHG. stouph.]
Definition: A vessel of liquor; a flagon. [Written also stoup.]
Fetch me a stoop of liquor. Shak.
Stoop, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. staup a knobby lump.]
Definition: A post fixed in the earth. [Prov. Eng.]
Stoop, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Stooped; p. pr. & vb. n. Stooping.] Etym:
[OE. stoupen; akin to AS. st, OD. stuypen, Icel. stupa, Sw. stupa to
fall, to tilt. Cf 5th Steep.]
1. To bend the upper part of the body downward and forward; to bend
or lean forward; to incline forward in standing or walking; to assume
habitually a bent position.
2. To yield; to submit; to bend, as by compulsion; to assume a
position of humility or subjection.
Mighty in her ships stood Carthage long, . . . Yet stooped to Rome,
less wealthy, but more strong. Dryden.
These are arts, my prince, In which your Zama does not stoop to Rome.
Addison.
3. To descend from rank or dignity; to condescend. "She stoops to
conquer." Goldsmith.
Where men of great wealth stoop to husbandry, it multiplieth riches
exceedingly. Bacon.
4. To come down as a hawk does on its prey; to pounce; to souse; to
swoop.
The bird of Jove, stooped from his aëry tour, Two birds of gayest
plume before him drove. Milton.
5. To sink when on the wing; to alight.
And stoop with closing pinions from above. Dryden.
Cowering low With blandishment, each bird stooped on his wing.
Milton.
Syn.
– To lean; yield; submit; condescend; descend; cower; shrink.
Stoop, v. t.
1. To bend forward and downward; to bow down; as, to stoop the body.
"Have stooped my neck." Shak.
2. To cause to incline downward; to slant; as, to stoop a cask of
liquor.
3. To cause to submit; to prostrate. [Obs.]
Many of those whose states so tempt thine ears Are stooped by death;
and many left alive. Chapman.
4. To degrade. [Obs.] Shak.
Stoop, n.
1. The act of stooping, or bending the body forward; inclination
forward; also, an habitual bend of the back and shoulders.
2. Descent, as from dignity or superiority; condescension; an act or
position of humiliation.
Can any loyal subject see With patience such a stoop from sovereignty
Dryden.
3. The fall of a bird on its prey; a swoop. L'Estrange.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition