Snow

n. & v.
—n.
1 atmospheric vapour frozen into ice crystals and falling to earth in light white flakes.
2 a fall of this, or a layer of it on the ground.
3 a thing resembling snow in whiteness or texture etc.
4 a mass of flickering white spots on a television or radar screen, caused by interference or a poor signal.
5 sl. cocaine.
6 a dessert or other dish resembling snow.
7 frozen carbon dioxide.
—v.
1 intr. (prec. by it as subject) snow falls (it is snowing; if it snows).
2 tr. (foll. by in, over, up, etc.) confine or block with large quantities of snow.
3 tr. & intr. sprinkle or scatter or fall as or like snow.
4 intr. come in large numbers or quantities.
5 tr. US sl. deceive or charm with plausible words.
Phrases and idioms:
be snowed under be overwhelmed, esp. with work. snow-blind temporarily blinded by the glare of light reflected by large expanses of snow. snow-blindness this blindness. snow-blink the reflection in the sky of snow or ice fields. snow boot an overboot of rubber and cloth. snow-broth melted or melting snow. snow bunting a mainly white finch, Plectrophenax nivalis. snow goose a white Arctic goose, Anser caerulescens, with black-tipped wings. snow-ice opaque white ice formed from melted snow. snow leopard = OUNCE(2). snow owl = snowy owl. snow partridge a mainly white partridge, Lerwa lerwa. snow-slip an avalanche. snow-white pure white.
Derivatives:
snowless adj. snowlike adj.
Etymology: OE snaw f. Gmc