from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Snow \Snow\, n. [OE. snow, snaw, AS. sn[=a]w; akin to D. sneeuw,
OS. & OHG. sn[=e]o, G. schnee, Icel. sn[ae]r, snj[=o]r,
snaj[=a]r, Sw. sn["o], Dan. snee, Goth. snaiws, Lith.
sn["e]gas, Russ. snieg', Ir. & Gael. sneachd, W. nyf, L. nix,
nivis, Gr. acc. ni`fa, also AS. sn[imac]wan to snow, G.
schneien, OHG. sn[imac]wan, Lith. snigti, L. ningit it snows,
Gr. ni`fei, Zend snizh to snow; cf. Skr. snih to be wet or
sticky. [root]172.]
1. Watery particles congealed into white or transparent
crystals or flakes in the air, and falling to the earth,
exhibiting a great variety of very beautiful and perfect
forms.
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Note: Snow is often used to form compounds, most of which are
of obvious meaning; as, snow-capped, snow-clad,
snow-cold, snow-crowned, snow-crust, snow-fed,
snow-haired, snowlike, snow-mantled, snow-nodding,
snow-wrought, and the like.
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2. Fig.: Something white like snow, as the white color
(argent) in heraldry; something which falls in, or as in,
flakes.
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The field of snow with eagle of black therein.
--Chaucer.
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{Red snow}. See under {Red}.
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{Snow bunting}. (Zool.) See {Snowbird}, 1.
{Snow cock} (Zool.), the snow pheasant.
{Snow flea} (Zool.), a small black leaping poduran
({Achorutes nivicola}) often found in winter on the snow
in vast numbers.
{Snow flood}, a flood from melted snow.
{Snow flower} (Bot.), the fringe tree.
{Snow fly}, or {Snow insect} (Zool.), any one of several
species of neuropterous insects of the genus {Boreus}. The
male has rudimentary wings; the female is wingless. These
insects sometimes appear creeping and leaping on the snow
in great numbers.
{Snow gnat} (Zool.), any wingless dipterous insect of the
genus {Chionea} found running on snow in winter.
{Snow goose} (Zool.), any one of several species of arctic
geese of the genus {Chen}. The common snow goose ({Chen
hyperborea}), common in the Western United States in
winter, is white, with the tips of the wings black and
legs and bill red. Called also {white brant}, {wavey}, and
{Texas goose}. The blue, or blue-winged, snow goose ({Chen
coerulescens}) is varied with grayish brown and bluish
gray, with the wing quills black and the head and upper
part of the neck white. Called also {white head},
{white-headed goose}, and {bald brant}.
{Snow leopard} (Zool.), the ounce.
{Snow line}, lowest limit of perpetual snow. In the Alps this
is at an altitude of 9,000 feet, in the Andes, at the
equator, 16,000 feet.
{Snow mouse} (Zool.), a European vole ({Arvicola nivalis})
which inhabits the Alps and other high mountains.
{Snow pheasant} (Zool.), any one of several species of large,
handsome gallinaceous birds of the genus {Tetraogallus},
native of the lofty mountains of Asia. The Himalayn snow
pheasant ({Tetraogallus Himalayensis}) in the best-known
species. Called also {snow cock}, and {snow chukor}.
{Snow partridge}. (Zool.) See under {Partridge}.
{Snow pigeon} (Zool.), a pigeon ({Columba leuconota}) native
of the Himalaya mountains. Its back, neck, and rump are
white, the top of the head and the ear coverts are black.
{Snow plant} (Bot.), a fleshy parasitic herb ({Sarcodes
sanguinea}) growing in the coniferous forests of
California. It is all of a bright red color, and is fabled
to grow from the snow, through which it sometimes shoots
up.
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