Snow

n. [A-S. snāw, Goth. snaivs, D. sneeuw, L. Ger. snee, O. Sax. snêo, snêu, O. H. Ger. snêo, snio, N. H. Ger. schnee, Dan. snee, Sw. snö, Icel. sníór, sníár, allied to Ir. & Gael. sneachd, Lith. snēgas, O. Slav. snieg, Bohemian snĕh, Lat. nīx, Gr. nīph, acc. nīpha, W. nyf.] 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.

Snow-crystals.

Snow is often used to form compounds, most of which are of very obvious meaning: as, snow-capped, snow-clad, snow-cold, snow-crowned, snow-fed, snow-flake, snow-haired, snow-like, snow-mantled, snow-nodding, snow-track, snow-water, snow-wreath, snow-wrought, and the like.

Red snow, snow of a red color, tinged by minute organisms which multiply and diffuse themselves rapidly through it. Various genera of microscopic plants, as Palmella, Protococcus, &c., have been described.—Snow-line, the lowest limit of perpetual snow.

n. [L. Ger. snaue, schnaue, D. snaauw, Dan. snav, from L. Ger. snau, schnau, a snout, beak.] (Naut.) A vessel equipped with two masts resembling the main and fore-masts of a ship, and a third small mast just abaft the main-mast, carrying a try-sail.

[imp. & p. p. SNOWED; p. pr. & vb. n. SNOWING.] [From the noun; A-S. snīwan.] To fall in snow;—chiefly used impersonally; as, it snows: it snowed yesterday.

v. t. To scatter like snow.