one swell foop

By humorous (or, occasionally, accidental) inversion from one fell swoop. Attributed by some to the Reverend William Archibald Spooner,[1] but more likely arising independently.

one swell foop (uncountable)

1. (spoonerism) Synonym of one fell swoop.
   • 1902, The Elwinkle Company, “Beesum: The New Battle Creek Bellytimber!“ (advertisement), The Philistine vol. 15 no. 3, The Society of Philistines:

     Only one meal a week is required, thus doing away, at one swell foop, with cooks, scullions, stewards, butlers, waiters and other tip-extractors.

   • 1988, Ralph Zumbro, Tank Sergeant, Pocket Books, page 114:

     You have to pull it in, in one swell foop!.

   • 2014, Michael Friendly, Advanced Logo: A Language for Learning, Psychology Press, Section 9.6.1:

     If I can’t quite see how to do it all in one swell foop, I fall back on the principles of lazy programming: [...]

• one fell swoop