swoop down on

swoop down on (someone or something)

1. To move down in a sudden plunging sweep to seize or land on someone or something. The falcon swooped down on its trainer's arm. The pelicans hover over the bay, swooping down on fish that venture too close to the surface of the water.
2. To descend on someone or something very quickly and suddenly, as to attack or grasp them or it. The children all swooped down on the pile of candy that fell from the broken piñata. Several police officers swooped down on the suspect.
See also: down, on, swoop
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

swoop down (up)on someone or something

 
1. Lit. to dive or plunge downward on someone or something. The eagle swooped down upon the lamb.
2. Fig. [for someone] to pounce on and consume something. The children swooped down on the ice cream and cake.
See also: down, on, swoop
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • be down to (do something)
  • be down to something
  • come a gutser
  • bog
  • bog down
  • bogged down
  • champ down on (someone or something)
  • bear down
  • be down to (one)
  • be down to somebody/something
References in periodicals archive
It was a grand morning for observation but the sky overhead was covered with fleecy clouds which had formed into little pats and made an excellent cover for a plane flying above them to swoop down on the sausages.
MORNING SERIAL
However, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said that although the gulls had been known to swoop down on people during nesting time, they were not dangerous and would not actually make contact.
JOGGER RUNS INTO TROUBLE WITH DIVEBOMB GULLS