The phrase “at one stroke” has been used since the 1600s to mean ‘all at once’. Its origins come from Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, where “one fell swoop” refers to a quick and deadly attack by a predatory bird. The phrase implies finality and swiftness.
People have been using the phrase “at one stroke” in English since the 1600s, and like many idioms, many people are entirely unaware of its origins. This phrase is generally used to mean ‘all at once’, in a very quick and definitive sense, although one might wonder what falling and plunging has to do with something that happens suddenly and perhaps violently. Unlike many idioms, which appear to have appeared in the English language with no apparent origins, we actually know where “one shot” comes from.
To understand the origins of this phrase, we’ll need to read some Shakespeare, because the first recorded use of it appeared in the play Macbeth:
All my beauties?
did you say everything? Oh, hell, everything?
What, all my pretty chickens and their mother?
in one fell swoop?
The “kite” referred to in this quote is a predatory bird. Kites are famous for their quick and wild attacks; in this quote, Shakespeare uses the fall in the sense of “evil” or “deadly.” While this use of the word is rare today, in Shakespeare’s day, it would have been widely known. The reference to the wild bird underscored the ferocity and swiftness of the events described in this quote.
In Shakespeare’s One Stroke, a single incident changes MacDuff’s character’s life forever; his entire family is murdered by order of Macbeth, who fears that MacDuff is seeking his throne. Ultimately, Macbeth’s fears are proven to be true, as he is ultimately defeated by MacDuff.
The root of “fallen” in this sense is the French fel, meaning “evil.” While we no longer use the word in this sense, except in dark poetry, we retain another word in the English language with this root: “criminal.” Fell as in “to fall” comes from an entirely different Anglo-Saxon word, illustrating the different roots of the English language.
People often use this phrase to describe accomplishing several tasks with a single action, as in “candidate retooled campaign staff in one fell swoop.” The term implies finality and swiftness, sometimes with a hint of brute force. It is also sometimes mispronounced as “a big idiot”, sometimes deliberately by people who want to bring levity to a serious situation.
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